


The peace treaty

by Poisonsnake21



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Cultural Differences, Fire Lord Iroh, I might do more, Lots of kissing, M/M, Making Out, Mpreg, One Shot, The whole tribe knows that they gave each other hand jobs, They dance, Underage Handjobs, brief mentions of mpreg anyway, handjobs, idk - Freeform, its great, like its only there a little, peace treaty, they like dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:20:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 29,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25356865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poisonsnake21/pseuds/Poisonsnake21
Summary: A man leaves the ship then, a letter in his hands and a sad look on his face. He is old and broad and Sokka tells himself he could take him, he could, he is almost sure of it, and yet he doesn’t, he doesn’t charge like he is meant to. Maybe it is the song still playing from the ship, or the white flag, or the way the man bows as he closes the distance. A bow known only to the water tribes of the south, a bow to ask for forgiveness for only the most horrible of crimes.“We would like to negotiate a peace treaty.”=====//////=======Peace comes before Aang, it comes before any of them. It comes when an uncle sees the crimes of his brother and decides that that is not alright, that he must be stopped.The earth kingdom ask for land and trade and free passage. But what will they give the water tribes? they have no need for land, for safe passage. So a union will be made, a union of people, of teenagers.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Bato/Hakoda (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 285





	The peace treaty

**Author's Note:**

> So this is all from Sokka's point of view and has not been edited at all. if anyone would like to then please contact me. I basically wrote it all yesterday? and then wrote like the last 9 thousand words today and am quite proud but also i know its kind trash lol. But please enjoy anyway. 
> 
> Also yeah i jumped on the bandwaggon.
> 
> The most explicit it gets is a rough hand job but its good i swear. Would love feedback and i suck at notes so just, have fun =)

The ship arrives on the eve of the summer solstice, the day foretold to be the warmest in many years. It brings with it the black soot that marked their home and their memories and taunted them in their dreams. 

Sokka has just turned 14, no where near a warrior by any standards, too young, too innocent, too small. But he is the last person trained in the village, all the other men leaving with his father to fight. So, he stands at the gate of the village, spear held high and war paint still drying on his young face. 

The paint is smeared around the eyes, and dripping like tears down his cheeks, but his hands and legs hold firm, prepared to die in some attempt to defend. 

The ship stops there, just off the ice and the gangplank swings down with a mighty thump. Its smaller than the last one yet some how more terrifying, carrying with it the decree that they were to small to bother with something as large as the warship from many years ago. 

Sokka still remembers it, still remembers the feeling of ash on his skin and the fear that swims through from the very site of the cold metal. The gas it leaks is poisonous, leaving a permanent mark on the land that was never meant to be touched. 

He stares up the at the ship, bending low at the knees and spear held high. 

The village is huddled behind him, woman round with children and children hugging their mother’s legs. His sister is there, he knows she is, 11 years old and already so talented with her water. But she cannot fight, once he is gone, she is the only one who can hold this place together, pass on the ways of their father. 

They all hold their breath, but no one leaves. Nothing happens, not at first anyway. It feels like hours, lifetimes, as they wait for the onslaught of fire and pain. 

Instead there is a horn played, a deep noise that slides along the ice like one of the animals born and bred there. It is followed by a higher horn, a melody that makes Sokka’s heart ache with loss. 

It is the funeral song of their people. The song played when people have died, when life is lost, and it is time to start anew. He wonders how they know, wonders why they bother to drag it through the flames like everything else they have stolen from the tribes. They must find themselves funny, he thinks, being able to turn even there most sacred song to a war cry. 

Tears pool in his eyes, anger pools in his stomach. It isn’t fair, them being able to do this, to ruin them with just a melody. He wants to scream at them, to ask them why, why do they bother taking this too?

But then something catches his eye. At the top of the flag pole at the centre of their ship the fire nation flag is slowly descending, being moved motion after motion in the familiar pattern of a flag being lowered. 

His eyes go wide as, after it is lowered, a new flag takes its place. A pure white flag, the same as the snow they stand on before it is tarnished by the dark ash. The same as the clouds above before they grace the land with new life. 

A man leaves the ship then, a letter in his hands and a sad look on his face. He is old and broad and Sokka tells himself he could take him, he could, he is almost sure of it, and yet he doesn’t, he doesn’t charge like he is meant to. Maybe it is the song still playing from the ship, or the white flag, or the way the man bows as he closer the distance. A bow known only to the water tribes of the south, a bow to ask for forgiveness for only the most horrible of crimes. 

“We would like to negotiate a peace treaty.” 

\---------///---------

The man is old and claims that he isn’t a fire bender, that they sent him because he was often in charge of trade rather then fighting and armies. 

Sokka doesn’t believe him, he’s not that naïve, that trusting. So, he, and a few of the woman who have taken to leading the village while his father has been gone, check the ship and who it holds. Just as the man says there is only a few men aboard, each seeming to have a specific part of the ship to control and keep in order. The machine itself draws Sokka’s attention for long enough for him to forget for a second, forget where he is, who these people are. When he remembers, his mission, his family, his loss, he hates himself for getting so distracted by their barbaric ship that turns the snow black and the clogs the sky.

But he finds nothing that the fire nation soldier, Tomoa his mind fills in, hadn’t reported. 

Next he takes the team of woman, who quite frankly he is glad to have, even if it means he probably only thinks he is in charge, to where the man is being kept. One of the older buildings that is more a relic of the prosperity that the southern tribe used to have. 

The walls are made of thickly packed ice, would be hard to melt quickly with even the hottest fire. That is, after all, why it lasted quite so long. 

The solider, “Tomoa” he insists, carries with him a letter. When it is hand to Sokka he has to blink for a second to understand what he is holding. Paper is scarce in the south pole, not seen since before the war and now only records remain. He can’t resist the urge to smell it, much to the laughter of his gran-gran and sister.

At this point the women are gone, and only Gran-Gran, Katara, and Sokka remain. Sokka knows that its not to do with the fact that they are woman, he knows that it is only because his gran-gran took up the title of chief once his dad left. He is still glad he is allowed though, him and his sister. Although again he know this is only the case because he is the last trained warrior and she the last water bender. 

Tomoa does not seem surprised to find himself behind bars, in fact he seems almost happy at being given the chance to properly analyse their “fantastic and resourceful” architecture. It makes Sokka grind his teeth. 

Kanna stands firm though, not smiling, not showing annoyance or pain, not showing anything as she stairs down the man representing the nation that stole everything from her. 

“The fire lord has died?” Tomoa smiles gently, showing how happy he is that the old fire lord passed. “And the new one wants peace?” 

Sokka wasn’t sure he could really believe it. He did not want to anyway. There was no way they would want peace, but the man just nodded. 

Apparently, the war was over. 

================///////==================

It takes over half a year for his father to return, for the warriors to come home. In that time the tribe has been slowly, slowly rebuilt. What had been but a small cluster of tents and igloos, one building marking the centre, had slowly been built up to stronger and larger ice buildings, the hope of not having to rebuild again and again motivating every able bodied person. 

Through the fire nation they had managed to go get in contact with their sister tribe who had sent a small handful of water benders to help not only rebuild but help Katara get a better handle on her powers. It was almost scary how powerful she had become. That was of course after she as well as Kanna had a go at them for their belief that because she was a girl, she had no place learning. Even though she could barely bend she had been able to put them in their place. 

When the ship carrying the warriors nears, flag proudly raised a call of celebration goes out. No one had been able to find them in years, no contact, no communication. The men coming home caused all the woman and children, every person in the tribe to come to the wall and call out. To let the echo of family, love fall from their lips in a way it hadn’t in years. 

It wasn’t just excitement though, because with the arrival of their loved ones there would also be the absence of the arrival of those that had fallen. Those whose bodies would never be able to return. Every tribe member held it in their heart, held the news as they saw the banner of loss flying alongside the blues of the southern water tribes’ flag. 

Katara and Sokka stood together on the wall, hands clasped firmly together. When the ship docked and the men slowly made their way down the gangplank Sokka thought he might cry. His eyes searched frantically for his father, for the familiar head of hair and the jangle of beads. 

When he finally saw him he ran, ran with everything he had and he knew that his sister was right by his side. He felt like he should feel guilty, should feel pain for the call of mourning that fell from some of the woman’s lips, the children at their hips not understanding. But he couldn’t, not yet anyway. Later, during the welcome ceremony he would share in their call, would echo the wolf wail of sadness as each fallen warrior’s name was read. Each warriors fall was described. Then he would join in his brethren under the moons shine with the howl of the wolf. But for now, he would hug his father and rejoice in who had come back. 

All in all, they had lost 7 men. Most would consider it few, would say that it was a good thing, so few had been lost. But when only 25 return even after that it was still a punch in the gut. All most a quarter of the warriors lost to the fire nation war. Total peace was a long time off. Total peace would not come any time soon. The wolf wail that lasted long into the night and could still be felt on the air next more proved it. 

================

Aang woke in a world not plagued by war but instead recovering from it, not fighting but mourning everything the fight had stolen. He was still confused, still to young and to much was expected of him, but when the 13 year old girl and her 15 year old brother woke him it was as lot more easier to learn. A lot more easier to find peace. In this world he would have time and would have strength and would find peace. He would help them recover instead of hindering it. He would do all he could. 

He still finds a teacher in Katara, a friend and one day a lover. He still finds a brother in Sokka, finding himself comfortable and easy. And when he ventures out to find a earth bending teacher he still finds a young blind girl who sees with her feet who needs to get out, get away. He is all to happy to escape with her and learn anew. 

=======//////=========

“Dad,” Sokka wasn’t sure whether to be exhausted or angry but he was sure he could find a middle ground somewhere in there. “We can’t trust them! How can we let them come here!” 

Hakoda simply sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Son, it was inevitable, this is the natural step.” 

“No! I don’t like it! Do not! No!” Sokka made a no sign with his fingers and crossed his arms. He knew he should be more mature, he knows that the fire nation stopped the war in the first place because they had changed. But really, why did they need to come here? To his home? 

The chief shook his head. “We are not discussing this anymore. They need to come here so we can continue peace talks and trade. It will be better for them to be on our home ground then us on theirs.” 

Okay so maybe that made sense, but he got a bad vibe from the whole thing. It just didn’t feel right. “And everyone else is okay with this?”

The man chuckled slightly and pulled a hand through his hair. “I was the last one to crack, they arrive on Wednesday.” 

Wednesday?! “That’s only three days away!” 

“Yes son, and when they get here, we would like you to be apart of the negotiations.” Okay maybe that made him perk up a little, getting that kind of responsibility. He had only just completed his ice dodging two weeks before and he was already getting this kind of chance to prove himself? 

A smile overtook Sokka’s features and Hakoda had to hide his own. He had hoped that would change the teens mind. 

“And tell your sister that Aang will be back by then as well, although she probably already knows. We are due to greet the fire nation at dawn while the Avatar should arrive sometime around lunch. I will be making the official announcement tonight.”

Sokka growled but nodded, quickly fixing his slumped form to a straight one and bowing formally. “Thank you Chief, father. I will serve as best I can.” 

Hakoda laughed and quickly dismissed his son, hoping the teen would be able to have a calm few days before the fire nation patrol arrived. 

Sokka for his part immediately headed to his family’s small cottage. It was just a bit bigger than one of the old igloos but not quite as big as the more modern buildings, situated on the out ring of buildings. He had preferred it, as had his family, sighting the need to be living as those who had it the worst in order to be able to lead all, or something like that. 

All he knew right now was 1, he needed to talk to his sister, and 2, he was really, really hungry and tired. 

==============///////====

Aang managed to arrive two hours after sunrise, smiling and not alone. Toph’s appearance, while not entirely a surprise was still concerning, she hadn’t visited the south pole in a long long time. Sokka wondered if she had overcome her inability to see through the ice. If Aangs letters had been any indication she had recently picked up the ability to metal bend, so maybe. 

Aang jumped off Appa with a laugh, practically landing in Katara’s arm and Sokka hoped the two wouldn’t start making out. Again. Toph meanwhile carefully slid down, eyes alight in a way Sokka hadn’t seen. He instinctively went to help her down but the way she shoved him off with a snarky comment about her being blind not weak made Sokka remember why she was his favourite. 

And apparently yes, now she could see through the ice, even if she wore thin layered shows to protect her from the cold. 

When the Avatar had first been found, a year ago now and that was insane to Sokka, him coming to the southern tribe had always caused celebration and wonder, parades, and praise for him. Except after the 4th time in a month it became to taxing on their resources and quite frankly too annoying to try and coordinate. So now, while they did still smile and bow when they saw him, the monk was greeted with a lot more calmness, something he seemed to approve of. 

When he had finally pulled out of the hug with Katara the small group headed for the two teens house, just a small bit away while Aang regaled them with the stories of his travels. 

“We saw the Kyoshi warriors again! They are going to the smaller islands to help peace talks between them and the fire nation.”

“How is Suki?” Sokka ignored the pointed looks that that question got. He was allowed to ask about his friend okay? His beautiful, funny, warrior friend. “Did she ask about me?” 

Aang paused for a second while Toph laughed. “She’s doing great boomerang, and yes she did ask about you. Or more particularly if you still had a crush on her. I’ll let her know the answer is yes next time I see her.”

Sokka pouted while the others laughed. Not to be deterred though Aang continued talking, telling them about Bumi and convincing the man to ride the mail shoots with him and Toph. About the giant snake at the serpent’s pass and about how the Dai Li had finally been knocked out of power. That one was a whirlwind. 

“Not that we don’t love you coming back,” Katara said, “but why now?” 

Aang scratched his head, Toph chuckling next to him. “Well with the peace talks I was asked to come back and oversee them, as someone of relatively neutral ground. And, you know, the Avatar. Plus… I get to see you.”

Sokka laughed as they both turned red. He could go on for hours about how Katara was too young to date, how Aang should leave her alone at least for another year. But after months of ranting he had realised that laughing was the easiest choice. Besides he is the Avatar after all, she couldn’t exactly do much worse. 

“That reminds me,” Sokka started, “How’s your search for a fire bending teacher going?”

“Well that’s another thing. Since most of the royal family and their guards were coming here anyway and they will probably be staying here for quite a while, they said they would bring teachers and I could pick someone to train me. They talked to Hakoda and it seemed to make sense since this place is the easiest to defend against them.” 

It made sense in some convoluted way. Not that Sokka approved of course but he wasn’t going to share that information. 

So, what if they were now bringing a whole group of firebenders to the south pole, who cared right? Because the war was over which meant everything, they had done in the past was okay, everything they had done could be ignored and forgotten. Sokka quickly stood and left the small house, he didn’t want to pretend everything was okay. He didn’t know if he could. 

==========///////////===============

The fire nation ship was small, a holiday ship rather then a war one. There were only speckles of black snow rather then the whole ground being turned to ash. 

When the ship stops it is greeted by a silent town staring it down. No one really knows what to expect, no one knows who will walk down the gangplank first. 

The firelord had never visited them, the once called dragon of the west. Only rumours had been heard in the southern pole of how he had become king, of how his brother, who had been crowned after the first born son had fallen, had done something so unspeakable that Iroh had no choice. 

In the nearly three years since his crowning the new firelord had stayed in his own kingdom, for the most part anyway. It had only been the last few months that he had started venturing out. Again the south pole was too far away to truly be told why. They only knew it had had to do with the royal family, with healing internally as well as externally. And now the old man walked down the plank with a sense of calmness to him. 

There was no great fanfare, only two guards, one walking ahead of him and one behind. He bowed as he got nearer to the chief, a small smile on his lips. The crowd stood far back but the old man waved to them, a simple crown atop his head. He wore simple clothes, white and light red, almost pink. Everyone standing there knew though, knew what it truly signified. The firelord wore the clothes of peace time, of forgiveness. 

“Chief Hakoda,” He says gently, bowing deeply, “It is an honour.”

Hakoda stands tall, he does not bow, not yet. “As for us as well. We hope the trip was okay?” 

“Of course. Although I don’t think I have ever been this cold in my life.” The mans chuckle does not ease the Chief who, for all his words, is still unsure, is still ready for an attack any second. 

“Where is the rest of your crew?” 

“They await orders on the ship. We brought quite a few people, we wanted many for the Avatar to be able to choose a teacher from. As well as several of the council members to be able to watch over the proceedings carefully.” 

“Of course, Firelord Iroh,” Hakoda goes to bow then, not nearly as deep as the other mans, but is stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He fights the urge to throw it off. 

“Please, you do not need to bow for me. I deserve no such formality. And please call me Iroh, I never wanted the title, and still struggle getting used to it.” The chief nodded stiffly, confused. “Now, I hope the southern tribe has great tea to offer hmm? And I will bring some other people to introduce before the celebrations tonight.” 

“Of course.” 

Iroh lifted his hand, fingers stretched out above him. And then a horn blew, somewhere on the ship, loud and sharp and making all the people in the tribe flinch. 

Quickly people started walking from the ship. Men of all different rankings donned in the peace wear of their leader. It seemed to go oldest to youngest as the procession was trailed by a handful of young men, most smiling kindly as they went. 

The group made quick work of the tribes’ paths, following the chief to where they would all be sleeping. Where igloos and tents had been specifically set up apart from all the other houses and cottages. Only Iroh and his family got to stay in the more established houses with the rest of the people. 

Once everything had been dropped off the general visitors had been instructed to spend some time getting set up while several selected members of the fire nation council were brought to the main building and hall where the celebration would be happening that evening. There they were led into a side room where a selection of teas had been set up. 

Iroh smiled approvingly as they sat, eyes lighting up as he looked over them. 

“We heard you liked tea’s so we gathered many of the types native to this area. We hope they are to your enjoyment.”

“Thank you!” The old man was quick to slide into the couch and pull a mug of tea towards him. “While we are here, I would like to introduce my Nephew and heir to the throne.” 

A teen came forward then, sliding into the seat next to the firelord. “I am prince Zuko of the fire nation, a pleasure to meet you,” he said, bowing with his hands on his knees. “I am prince Zuko, 

Hakoda stopped for a second, unsure how to proceed. He had been unaware that the heir to throne was accompanying Iroh. “Of course. I would introduce my son but I am unsure where he is at the moment.” Something that Hakoda was not happy about. He disliked the fire nation as much as the next guy and he was still here. Well. Okay he had to be but he had also told Sokka he was meant to be here too. Now he had to handle this alone. 

There was a gentle knock on the door, a guard opening it to reveal his daughter and the Avatar standing in a bowed position. 

“Apologies for our lateness, we we’re preoccupied.” Hakoda resisted the urge to face palm. Honestly teenagers. 

“Is your brother with you?” 

Katara sighed as she walked forward. “I am sorry dad; I couldn’t find him.” She turned to the people on the opposite couch, “I am Katara, daughter of the chief of the southern water tribe.” 

Aang walked up next to her. “I am Aang, the Avatar for this age and last air bender. Thank you for having us.” 

“Of course, no rush, no rush.” Iroh smiled, “I was just introducing my nephew here, Zuko, crown prince. As I was about to say I hope it is not to much to ask to keep the knowledge of him being crown prince away from the general populous.” 

The water tribe people froze. “Excuse me?”

Zuko spoke this time, his voice slurred. Hakoda wondered if it was from whatever caused him to cover half of his face. Wondered if he had suffered some form of training incident. “I would prefer to move among you a simple guard. We thought it only fair to give you the option however I would personally not enjoy the attention that such a title would give me.” Hakoda nodded. 

He could do that. He would tell his son and make sure as few others as possible found out. 

“Now, for the rest of the introductions.” 

=============////////////================

Sokka knew he would probably get in trouble for it, but he refused to go to the celebrations that evening. He would not break bread with them, and he would not try and politely make conversation that he had no interest in. 

His father could sit there and pretend, his sister could make happy faces and share forced laughter. He would not. Instead of going to the feast he headed to the outskirts of the village and went about carving a new spear from a piece of food Toph had brought for him. How he adored that idiot. 

And as he thought of her she appeared, knocking him hard enough on the back for him fall over. “Why aren’t you at the party?”

He grumbled gently under his breath before looking up at her. Not that she was looking at him, not that it mattered. “I don’t want to have to deal with them.”

“The fire nation?” 

He nodded grimly before remembering that he should probably say something, “Yeah.”

Toph through herself down next to him, through her arms out behind her and laying on the ground. Anyone else would be staring at the stars above, at the bright full moon. But she wasn’t, she couldn’t. Not for the first time Sokka felt all at once envious of her and grateful for his working eyes. 

“But you’ll miss out on the dancing!” but she didn’t really sound that motivated.

He chuckled dryly and lay next to her. She was such a smart 12 year old. “And why aren’t you there?” 

“ugh, parties smarties, you’ve bin to one, you’ve bin to all of them.” 

“Hey no one throws parties like the southern water tribe!”

“And yet you aren’t going?” 

Sokka grumbled. Okay he had fallen into that one. “Whatever.” 

“You know they probably aren’t as bad as you think they are.” 

“You’re right, they’re probably worse!” 

“You know that’s not what I meant Boomerang boy!” 

He grumbled to himself again. “Why would I even be going? What would I get out of it?” 

Toph suddenly smiled and the water tribe teen felt like he probably wasn’t going to win this one. “Well I heard they have a master swordsman with them, came to train some of them.” 

Yeah, he had been right, he wasn’t going to win this one.

In the end they had shown up once the formalities were long over, which was probably the best thing Sokka could have hoped for. He had managed to drag Toph along, which really was her own fault. Sokka was pretty sure she had wanted to come, even if she didn’t admit it. 

Since the formalities were over the dancing had begun, the real highlight of all water tribe parties. A feast was still set out, everything that hadn’t been eaten during the sitting part. The food, Sokka noticed, contained some well-known fire nation food and suddenly Sokka was hungry. But also, the music was calling him and he wanted to dance among the rest of his people. 

A small stage area had been set up and some of the younger warriors who had turned to music after the war were set up. They had just started drumming, a voice girl strumming away at some stringed instrument, and the fire nation looked vaguely uncomfortable as the water tribe people started moving. 

They looked at everyone as though they had never even heard of dancing. It made Sokka chuckle because they really couldn’t be that old fashioned. What caused Sokka to pause though was seeing an old man in peace pinks start dancing with the best of the water tribe men. 

The firelord was dancing with the water tribe peasants. Oh, wow he wouldn’t forgot this anytime soon. He quickly told Toph why he was laughing so hard and found her smile made him laugh even more. 

He watched as the other fire nation officials looked on uncomfortable even as Aang attempted to coach them into start moving more. 

The music picked up then and Sokka got distracted by it. He didn’t care about the failings of the fire nation right now, because the music was beating faster and harder and he could feel the pull of it in his veins. He quickly joined the throng of bodies on the dance floor, pulling Toph into the mess. He stayed on the outer ring but for the first time in half a week he forgot that the fire nation was even there, instead feeling the music and everything it meant. 

=============////////=============

Toph had eventually gotten sucked into the mix and Sokka chuckled to himself as the song changed again. He was tired now, the good kind of tired. The kind that made your muscles ache for days and your body pull in all directions. He felt alive. There were all kinds of bodies rubbing against him, the fire nation folk finally letting go and trying to feel the music and as a particularly nice feeling body moved against his he realised that maybe them coming wasn’t such a bad idea after all. A thought he would probably regret in the morning but right now he was enjoying that ass as it ground against his crotch thank you.

At some point in the night someone had passed around some fermented yak milk and his mind was buzzing very nicely. Maybe that was why he was okay with the warmth that the fire nation bodies held. 

But he was done now. The dance floor had yet to really decrease but the second his eyes had been drawn to his father and Bato dancing a bit to close he decided to head off. He did not want to see that tonight. Or any night really. He still moved his body in time as he left though, still let it pull him each direction. 

He left the main hall out one of the side doors, the small room usually used for official entrances and what not. So, in other words not really being used at all. 

He expected it to be empty and cold as it usually was. He did not expect to find a small figure swaying gently in one of the corners. Sokka’s mind still buzzed slightly although he really had not had that much fermented milk thank you. 

The person looked so sad though, swaying in the side room away from everyone else. The whole point of dancing was to dance with others. To move in time with the music and the others around you. To feel at home and with family and surrounded by love and affection as you move as one. What ever this person was doing it looked kind of sad. 

They were wearing a cloak and facing the window in the room, staring out at something. 

Sokka let out a small shout in greeting, “Yo! You look lonely! Why aren’t you dancing with the others?” 

The person turned around and Sokka got a good look at the teen. A teen, or maybe a young man, that had to be about his age and that he didn’t know. Which meant fire nation. A fire nation man who he didn’t know and who looked so startled and innocent to be caught dancing alone. 

Maybe it was the milk getting to him, but the guy was also quite cute. And his awkward swaying dancing was adorable and horrible at the same time. 

“That is not how you dance,” Sokka couldn’t help when he started dancing. 

“Excuse you! We don’t have dances like this in the fire nation,” the teen spoke with a bit of a lisp, and Sokka’s distracted mind found it even more adorable. 

He moved forward place hand on the teens arms. “Here, like this,” he said, swaying similarly to how the teen had before but with move force. He could still hear the thumping beat from the other room, still feel it in his veins.

The teen had a constipated look on his face. “You look uncomfortable.”

“That’s because I am!” Sokka decided to ignore the annoyance in the fire nation teens voice. He had nice arms. Very nice arms. 

“Well stop it,” okay maybe that wasn’t the best way to explain how to dance, “you’ve got to let your body be free, and feel the music. You’ve got to let the music control you.”

Sokka moved his hands away from the other, putting a small distance between them and letting the music take over again. He heard someone call out from the other room, heard laughing and joy and was tempted to join them again. And then he looked at the teen again, the pale skin that glowed in the light of the full moon and the single bright gold eye. 

“just… try?” 

The teen lets out a breath of air, but nods, determined and stiff and Sokka decides that hey, that’s probably the best he is going to get. And then he is lost in the music, he feels the moons light on his face too now, he feels the power and lets the music take over, just as he tried to get the other teen to do. He didn’t care anymore about the other teen. He cared about the thump, thump, thump of the drum. About the pull and push of the tide below and about the light of the moon on his skin, fuelling him on. 

A song must have passed and when his head cleared a little, he noticed the other teen seemed to have gone back to dancing. It was different to Sokka’s own, but it was nice. The boy was swaying side to side, head moving up and down. 

Sokka didn’t laugh this time. This dancing felt weird to him. Dancing was not meant to be done alone, no it was meant to be done with family, with friends. He moved closer to the other teen and started swaying next to him, getting lost in the next song. 

Their bodies slid together, backs and sides rubbing. Sokka suddenly remembered earlier when a lovely teen had been rubbing quite nicely against him and found himself pulling this teen closer to grind on his ass. The teen didn’t seem to protest so Sokka allowed the music to lead them. 

He didn’t get hard, that would not be okay, that was not what dancing was for. But he did allow himself to enjoy the heat and nearness. When the song after that ended he found his arms wrapped around the other teen, swaying back and forth. 

“That’s dancing,” he said, laughing happily as they separated. The other teen appeared to be less pale now, his face bright red. It vaguely occurred to Sokka that maybe the fire nation wasn’t as open about physical contact. But he didn’t mind, if the teen had a problem with it he imagined he tell him. 

“Nice to meet you by the way!” he said extending his hand. The music had gotten quieter in the next room and he imagined that it was nearing the end of the party. He was feeling quite tired. Oh yeah, he had been intending to head home earlier. Because he was tired. 

The fire nation teen didn’t shake his hand, instead he just bowed, hands in an odd position at his chest. “Nice to meet you.”

Sokka chuckled and made for the exit, hand landing on the others shoulder. “See ya!” 

He wanted his bed. 

===========////////==============

Hakoda had been quite angry at his son, but not enough so to beat his own hang over. So it wasn’t till the evening after the party where Sokka got in trouble. And his trouble really only consisted of being told he would need to go hunting for cat-reys. Which slept during the day and usually went to bed early. Which meant he would need to get up super early in order to go hunting. Ugh. 

===========//////////==============

Aang had avoided the fermented yak milk after the first time and he was glad he had. Especially when he was brought before the fire benders at the crack of dawn the next morning. The leader, one commander Samia, had all the fire benders that could be his teachers mediating just after sunrise. Apparently, fire benders rose with the sun. Who knew? 

So there he was, sitting with all the young firebenders trying not to fall asleep. He approved of mediation, but it was so, so very early. And most of them seemed to have not realised just how potent the milk had been the night before.

It was half an hour of sitting there before they all stood and moved into different Katas, slowing going through basic forms. In that time the commander had found Aang and pulled him aside to talk. 

“So Avatar Aang, what exactly are you looking for in a teacher?” 

Aang paused for a second. He didn’t know. “Ahh… Well, someone who can fire bend! And… someone who can teach?”

The commander let out a loud laugh, startling the young teen. “Of course, of course. Well, how would you like to meet all your potential teachers and have a talk with them?”

“That sounds good!” Because really Aang had no idea what he was doing. He wished Katara were here. 

The 13 year old was pulled into one of the tents that the fire nation had brought and sat across from an empty seat. The commander left before coming back with a man you couldn’t be older then 30 with a small beard who seemed to think the ice was too cold for his liking. 

“So… whats your name?” 

“Soko,” Aang tried not to laugh. It sounded like a bad combination of Sokka and Ruko, “this place is so cold isn’t it?” 

Aang paused, “Excuse me?” 

“It’s freezing, I don’t know how you can bare to be here all the time. And among these peasants.”

“Right… Well, ahh, how long have you been training?” Aang was always willing to give people a second shot. But after the third and fourth he decided that this man wasn’t for him. Nor the next or even the one after that. Especially not the young boy who had demanded that Aang help them restart the war and win the world for the fire nation. He had actually told the commander about that one. Thoughts like that ruined the peace.

It was lunch time when he decided he needed a break. He wasn’t going to find a teacher like this. 

“None of them?” Commander Samia had asked almost desperately. 

Aang was going to respond but the Iroh, the bloody firelord walked up next to them and placed a hand on the small teens shoulder. “He will find someone in his own time. Don’t pressure him Samia.” 

“Of course my lord! Of course Avatar!” 

“No Samia, please don’t-,” but Samia had already left and the firelord sighed. “You never do get used to them treating you with so much respect.”

Aang thought it was probably closer to fear, but he decided not to say so. Instead he simply said, “Thank you.” 

“It was my pleasure Aang. Now, would you join me for some tea?” 

Not knowing how to refuse the young Avatar followed Iroh through the winding streets until they came across he place where the main family had been situated. Quickly following the man inside he found himself sitting on a soft couch that was close to the ground as the firelord, the firelord bloody hell, poured his tea. 

“This place is quite nice; I would have been happy with a tent among my people but I did not know how to say no to the chief. He is quite a lovely person. All the water tribe people are.”

Aang didn’t know how to respond. He had been out of the ice for close to a year now and all he had heard was how horrible the old firelord had been, how horrible the fire nation had been. They had destroyed his family, his home, everyone he loved and cared about. But this man fought against it all took the crown and turned to the world asking for forgiveness and peace. He had to ask. “Why did you do it?” 

“I am sorry, but you will have to elaborate?” Aang blushed slightly. Right. 

“The war, why did you stop it?” He had wondered about it for so long. 

“The war help no one. It was destroying not only the other nations but the fire nation as well. I fought once; I was one of the strongest soldiers. But then my son fell, and I saw what this truly was. I make no claim to be perfect, to know the best way to go ahead, but I do know that balance is crucial. That we only survive because of balance. I never wanted to be firelord but I would if he would bring peace.”

Aang paused, staring down at the cup in his hands. It was nice tea, not unfamiliar but tea he had not had in a long time. “You did not want to be fire lord?” 

Iroh shook his head. “No and I would not have become the fire lord if I did not have to. But alas, somethings cannot be forgiven.” 

Aang had heard the rumours. He wasn’t like the others in the water tribe. He had ventured far and had heard the late-night stories shared around the fire. “Is it true? What Ozai did?”

The old man sighed and took a long sip of his tea. “I would prefer not to go into details but… yes, whatever you have heard is probably true. Those who raise a hand against their family deserve no power over anyone, not even themselves.” 

The room was silent, and the Avatar longed to ask more but he knew from the look on the mans face that now was not the time or the place. 

“Now, about your teacher. I am sure that you will find one among the people here, but if you cannot then do not feel ashamed. The bond between teacher and student is unique, we will be here for a long time yet. Do not force it or feel the need to rush young Aang.”

That made him smile, “Thank you Iroh.” He paused for a second. “What would you do? If you were not fire lord?” 

Iroh chuckled, “I have always longed to open a great tea shop and play Pai Sho all day. Maybe one day.” 

Aang chuckled to, “I think you would be good at that.” 

============///////////============

The sun was just rising when Sokka had been coming back from his hunting trip, a bag full of cat-rey hanging from his belt and a smile on his face. He would show his father. Even if he was bone cold and that one fall in the water had lost of quite a lot of his dignity, no one was around to see it, so it really didn’t matter that much.

Peace talk would begin at lunch and go until sunset, so he had until then to get home. 

He heads back along the eastern side of the village, even if it is a longer walk. The western side is occupied with the fire nation men, and if what Aang said was true, they would all be up right about now training. So he takes the eastern side, heading under and through the cliffs that would curl around and lead up the village. 

It’s an old route, one that only a few of the warriors still know of, most just go the shorter route. So he is not expecting to see anyone on his way back. 

Maybe that is why he is surprised when he comes across a teen moving through simple katas. So surprised he lets out a small yell and drops his bag. 

The teen jumps and Sokka feels recognition run through him. It’s the teen from the night of the party. 

The water tribe teen tries to recover quickly, laughing as he moves to pick up his bag. “Yo, I remember you!” 

The other boy doesn’t respond right away, his one uncovered eye fixed on Sokka. Its quite a unique colour really, bright gold and alive. It makes the teen think of the sun and all its glowing glory. 

After a few seconds the teen pulls up so he is standing straight before going into a short bow. His mouth is set in a small frown and it irritates Sokka. He should be happy to be here, to be allowed to be here. His people are the reason the tribe is so small, so empty. He should not be so annoyed that he was disturbed. “Good morning.”

Sokka growls slightly and the other teen jumps. Good he thinks. “Do you remember me?” 

A nod and he feel his anger deflate. What is he even doing? 

His voice is rough when he speaks. “What are you doing out here? On this side of the tribe?” 

“I was mediating, apologies.” He can hear the lisp now, more pronounced in the morning light. 

“Ugh, what’s your name fire nation? Or should I just keep calling you fire nation?” He had been hoping to make the teen more comfortable, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. He wondered if the dancing had been a dream because the teen had seemed so free then. 

“Zuko,” Zuko breathed deeply, shoulders tense, “My name is Zuko, what is yours?” 

“Ugh, so formal.” He went closer to the teen, bag of prize hanging from his hand. “I’m Sokka. Nice to meet you!” He stuck out his hand again, smiling as he did. He hoped it was non-threatening because man this guy needed to calm the hell down. 

“Um…” the hand tentatively reached out to return the handshake but Sokka was not having any of that. Once the hand had made contact, he pulled the other teen into a hug. 

“This is how we greet each other in the southern water tribe.” Well, the teen at least looked different now, even if that different was frozen. “Calm down kid, you’re okay. How do you greet each other in the fire nation?” 

Zuko shook his head slightly before turning tall. He faced Sokka then and bowed, touching the thumb on one of his hands to the palm of another, “We greet like this.”

Maybe it was rude, but he couldn’t help it. Sokka laughed. 

“Hey! Its not funny! It is a part of our cultural!” and that was the most response he had gotten out of the other teen since he had met him so he was going to stick with that method of talking. 

“Well it kind of sucks man! It’s so stiff! No wonder you didn’t know how to dance on the night of the party.”

Zuko went bright red and suddenly Sokka was remembering the feel of the other teens body against his. “Dancing is not something we do regularly!” 

“Oh no you just fight and train huh?”

“Ugh!” Zuko moved back as if to fight Sokka and alarm bells went off in his head. If the fire nation teen attacked him then he would defend himself. It would be the end of the peace treaty; it would prove that the fire nation still wanted war. That all the fire nation was good for was war. But the teen didn’t move to attack instead he turned around and went through a rapid series of kicks and punches at the ice wall, the base of the cliff. If he were anyone else he would be worried but Sokka knew these cliffs were strong, knew they would hold up. Still this kid didn’t so it was brave of him to go at it like that.

His moves weren’t to bad either, his style was unique, something he’d never seen. But it did not look awkward, in fact it looked natural, as though he was made to twist and turn and kick just as he was doing. Suddenly Sokka remembered something.

“Hey, Zuko!” the teen froze at his name, “My friend said there was a master swordsman with you, is that true?” 

He turned to him and raising his one visible eyebrow asked, “master Piandao?”

Sokka shrugged, “She didn’t give me a name. She just said he was a master swordsman.” 

The anger was gone, and calm replaced it, a thoughtful look that made the water tribe teen wonder just how often others were born with that colour eye. It couldn’t be common. “He is the only master we brought with us. The man was not happy about it but,” he pauses before shaking his head and returning his attention to the other person. “Why?”

Sokka glances down now, “I was hoping he might be willing to teach me?”

Zuko only nodded then, no smile, no frown, just a blank face. “I can show you too his quarters if you would like?” 

He could have kissed him! No really, he could have! “Yes! That would be amazing!” 

The other teen’s face turned a light pink before he nodded and pulled himself tall, “Let us go.”

And Sokka was quick to go. He would not through away this opportunity. After all on what other occasion would he find himself forced to talk to one of the fire nation and then some how manage to ask them about the master swordsman. And then on top of that have them agree. It was perfect. Just perfect. 

As they walked, he looked up to the sky and noticed that the sun had only risen a bit higher. 

“Why weren’t you with the others?” he couldn’t help but ask. Aang had said all of the fire nation people meditated together. But this teen had been alone, on the other side of the village, as far as he could get from his people. 

Zuko’s steps faltered for just a second. “I prefer to meditate alone. It helps me clear my head.” 

He could understand that. He loved being with his people, with the tribesmen and other warriors. He found dancing to be the best thing there was for connecting with everyone. But sometimes he needed to be alone. Speaking of which. 

“Why were you dancing alone yesterday? In the other room I mean?” 

Zuko growled. “You ask a lot of questions.”

“Hey man, no need to get angry, just a question.”

He pulled in a deep breath of air. They had just reached the outskirts of the village and the fire nation teen lead him around the outside, closer to where they had set up camp. 

“Just as you said I am not very good at dancing. Nor physical contact. So I wanted to try and dance alone.” And suddenly the teen was bright pink. “Most do not initiate dance with others as casually as you did.” 

Sokka didn’t really know what was going on but he might as well put in his two bits. “For us dance is a part of life. Music and dance are the ways we grieve and celebrate and become united. It did seem different for you guys though.” 

Zuko looked like he would continue talking, like he had more to say, but then he stopped in front of one of the larger tents and took another deep breath. “This is master Piandao’s tent. I wish you luck in asking him to be you teacher.”

And then he was gone and Sokka realised where he was. Maybe he shouldn’t be so anxious, he was in his home after all, his family were just a shout away. But right not he was surrounded by fire nation tents and people and he was about to ask a fire nation swords master to be his teacher. This all sounded insane and stupid even to him. 

But… but he may never meet another master swordsman regardless of where they were from. And this one, while fire nation, was in his very home. He had to have been brought here for a reason and as much as Sokka was a man of science he also listened to his sister and Aang and gran-gran enough to know that sometimes the spirits made things happen. Maybe this was one of those times. 

He gently knocked on the outside of the tent and a gruff voice from inside called him in. 

He was surprised to enter into a small area before realising that the tent must have been separated into a lounge space and a room space. A man was sitting at a small coffee table as if waiting for him, skin dark enough to match the water tribes own and grey eyes. He did not look like someone from the fire nation. Somehow that comforted Sokka. 

“Oh, who are you?” He spoke, the same voice that had called him in earlier. 

Sokka bowed then, kneeling in front of the man. “I am Sokka, son of chief Hakoda. I heard you are a master Swordsman. I humbly ask that you teach me the way of the blade.” 

“hmm?” He did not look up, could not bear to see what the man thought of him. “You have come to ask me to teach you? What did you bring? Why would I pick you of all people to teach?” 

He gulped. “I did not bring anything, I am sorry. And yes I have. I am probably not the best student, the most powerful you have ever seen or the most successful. I have but my experience as a warrior and my hope to lead. I only want you to teach me so that I may learn.” 

And that was true. He didn’t know much. Not compared to Katara who could waterbend, or his father, the literally chief of the tribe. He did not have much to his name and could do little to help. The idea of being able to fight, to do the one thing he could do better. That was why he was here. He was here to learn. 

“You provide good reasoning young Sokka.” The teen looked up, “However I already have a student at this time, you would have to train alongside him.” 

That was okay, that was more than okay. The other student could be the firelord for all he cared. If it meant he got to learn then he was more than happy to share. “Does that mean you would accept me as your student?” 

The man’s dark eyes bore into his own, as if testing him, waiting for him to break. “Yes, it does. We will train every morning after the firebenders mediation is done. Although we will go through our own mediation feel free to join them.” Yeah he wasn’t going to do that. “We will train on the western fields, unless you know somewhere better?” 

Sokka thought of the wide-open space underneath the cliffs to the east. The place he had run into Zuko that morning. “I do master, I would be honoured to show you tomorrow morning.”

The man nodded, “Good, you are dismissed.” 

Sokka, smile as bright as it had ever been, ran from the tent with a massive hurrah, seeking out his friends to tell them of the good news. He was going to be trained to fight just like that good. He couldn’t wait.

======//////======

He was so excited to rush and tell his sister and friends that he forgot about the meeting. He had just thrown open the door to the house when his sister came running to him. He had been confused when she grabbed his arm and pulled him away. 

“Wait Katara! I have something I need to tell you!” 

“No, Sokka! You cannot bale on dad again! I cannot believe you! You weren’t there last night and now you are trying to run away again?! Do you know how much faith he has put in you!”

“Katara? What are you talking about!?” He wasn’t running away from anything, what was she even-

“The peace treaty meeting!” Suddenly it dawned on him what she was talking about and as he looked up to the sky, he saw the sun shining high. 

“Oh shit!” And then they were running, both heading towards the centre building occupied the night before. 

As they reached the room, they threw open the door and hurried inside, quickly sliding into the seats either side of their father. He glared at them as they sat down. 

“You guys are late,” he said, growling at them. 

Just as he said that another door on the other side of the room opened. This one was much more elegant as a small group of men dressed in the same gentle pinks and whites from the night before entered. As he looks around at all the faces Sokka realises that okay maybe he should have been here last night for the initial discussions. 

The only face he could even place was Zuko, and why a young teen was sitting on these peace talks made him pause. But then again Katara and Aang were here with him as well. So maybe it wasn’t that weird. He was probably older then Sokka thought, after all the fire nation probably didn’t age like normal people did. Okay no that was silly but…

Urgh. 

He looked around some more and realised that for the fire nation there was 11 people, for the water tribe there was an equal dozen including him and Katara. Aang marked the divide between fire nation and water tribe, practically halving the circular table, clearly there to try and keep the peace. At the peace treaty. Spirits help them. Katara was sitting next to Aang, then of course it was Hakoda, Sokka himself and then a long row of Fire nation people. The man sitting next to Aang was old with white hair and a beard and carried a golden crown on his head. 

This man was the firelord. Strangely enough Zuko sat next to him, before master Piandao himself was seated. 

He tried to throw a smile at the teen but realised that the fire nation boy was back to silent and moody and okay yeah this probably wasn’t the time. 

“Aang, Chief Hakoda,” The man Sokka presumed was the firelord began, “A pleasure.” He then turned his attention to Sokka himself and the boy stared. This man had eyes just like Zuko, although with less life and fire. This man couldn’t really be the new firelord, could he? “And you must young Sokka, Hakoda’s son? I am Firelord Iroh, although I prefer just Iroh.” 

“Ahhh, of course.” Okay so apparently he was the firelord. That’s great. Suddenly they were a lot less intimidating. 

“Iroh, thank you for coming today. I hope you slept well?” 

The man smiled, “Oh course! It was a bit cold but quite nice really. Thank you for your hospitality.” 

“Of course. Now while we begin, I will get one of my people to bring us tea for the meeting. Now, shall we begin then?” 

Iroh chuckled and made a hand motion as if to say, go right ahead. 

A lot of the discussion was quite boring to Sokka, but he refused to leave. This was about the future of his tribe. The future of his people. He was honoured to be here. Even if a lot of it was just discussion about what each side had lost in the war. He did not need to hear again and again about how his entire tribe had been all but wiped out, Katara did not need to hear about how she was the last water bender left. It was only after they had recorded it all that he finally sat up and payed attention. 

“I am sorry for everything you have lost, we hope to move forward in this time and we will do all we can to make it up to you. We know that we can never truly make it up to you but we hope that this may be start.” 

“One thing that our people struggle with is knowing what you say is true. How are we to know, how are my people meant to know, what you say is true?” 

Iroh nodded and the water tribe teens couldn’t help but nod as well, because this is truly what it was about. How was anyone meant to trust the fire nation? 

“The earth kingdom agreed to peace over the trade. They have all control and access to our land. They have also been gifted several pieces of farmland close to their boarders. We know that this is not something we can offer you, but we would like to make clear that this is the deal we made with the earth kingdom. We do not know what we can offer but we are open to any suggestions.” 

There was silence then as both sides digested what had been said, what had been claimed. They would be open to any suggestion and an honest discussion would be had about it. 

“Now, it is quite late already, and I am sure everyone is tired. Tomorrow we will provide a full detail of everything that happened to each of the people we took prisoner many years ago. If that would be good?” 

That made Sokka freeze and he felt Katara next to him tense up. To know what every single person had gone through? To know how each and everyone died? To know what happened to their mum?

A shiver ran up his spine. He did not want to be a part of there conversation. 

“Maybe we could discuss that in private Iroh? I don’t think everyone needs to know those gruesome details.” Iroh nodded. “Wonderful,” although his tone was anything but, “Then meeting dismissed.” 

==========///////////============

They ate dinner in the house, just as they had the night before. As great as it would be to have dinner with the guests every night it was just not sustainable. Maybe once they knew each other a bit more, maybe once it was out of a want rather than out of formality. Maybe then they would share a meal. 

But for now Sokka, Aang, Katara, and Toph sat around the table helping themselves to a big pot of cat-rey stew, the teenage monk sticking to vegetarian leftovers from the night before. 

“Guys!” he said excitedly, he hadn’t told them yet. “Guys! The fire nation, they brought a master swordsman with them! And he agreed to train me!” 

“Sokka that’s wonderful!” Aang cheered.

“Congrats buttercup!” Why was Toph always so sassy, don’t get him wrong he loved it, but. “Maybe now we’ll be able to duel and you’ll last longer then five seconds.” He wanted to show how he could last longer then five second right now if it meant he could punch the look off her smug face. 

“Whatever Toph.”

===============////////===========

The morning dawned bright and early, as the morning had a tendency to do. But Sokka found himself wide awake as he headed to master Piandao’s tent once more. The man was not awake, but a servant was there waiting for him. Sokka was quick to tell the servant, and that was weird to him, (who had servants?) how to get to the training point on the eastern side of the village. 

Once that conversation was done, he quickly headed there himself. He was humming to himself as he went, a quiet song that he remembered his mother singing to him long, long ago. It was cheerful, a working song and he couldn’t help but skip as he hummed it. 

He probably shouldn’t have been surprised when the wide-open space was once again occupied but he still paused at the sight. It was Zuko, again. 

He didn’t say anything though, decided that the teen was probably out this far for a reason. He didn’t startle him or call out. Instead he just watched. The teen was slowly moving through fighting forms, moves that looked complex but also foundational. It was somewhat dance like in nature, each movement precise and on point and… it took his breath away. 

The teen pulled one hand up high above his head while simultaneously rotating his left leg in a smooth but sharp kick. When his leg landed, he managed to fall into a graceful half crouch while also twisting his body into a half bow. Sokka took a second then, he took a second to really look at the teen, not just his body but him. His body of course was beautiful, but… as he swept his dark hair out of his face and pulled it back into a pony tale the teen realised just how beautiful he was. 

And then Zuko fell, his body crouching in a way that almost broke the imagine that had been created. He pulled his hands close and let out a curse as he fell into the thick layers of snow. 

Sokka moved forward quickly then, moved to the other teen and offered him a hand in what he hoped would be a helpful gesture. Zuko seemed to be pulling at his shoes, trying to move them and almost get them off? That was a bad idea. He looked angry this close as well, tired, sad and… angry. Although, he hadn’t really gotten to know the teen very well and from what he had seen he had usually fallen into one of those categories. 

Zuko starred at the hand for a second before growling and, for a second, looked as though he might push it away. “Take my hand, you know the snow is too cold to be laying in it like that for too long.” 

It seemed Sokka’s words had some kind of effect, a cold hand gripping his gloved one and pulling the teen up. He was quite light, light in a way Sokka didn’t think he really should be. Of course he had expected him to be a lot heavier and thus had put a lot more force into the pull then needed cause both of them to fall into the snow, Sokka on his back and a lap full of fire nation teen. 

He couldn’t help it, he laughed. He laughed loud enough that the snow might fall from the force of it, deep enough to rock the teen above him. For a second Zuko paused, but then he laughed to and it made Sokka’s heart skip a beat. It was more beautiful then even fighting had been. 

No, bad Sokka, he told himself, don’t start getting a crush on the fire nation teen. Bad Sokka. 

But in the moment, he kept laughing.

They both made to stand then, the water tribe teen helping the fire nation one stand with a steadying hand on his shoulder. He looked the teen in the face and couldn’t help the smile that overtook his features. Of course, something bad had to happen. Because it always does. 

In the next moment there was a small clicking sound and the smile that had been shining on the fire nation teens face became contorted with confusion. Sokka watched as the piece of leather that had been covering his face slowly began to fall. 

“Zuko?” he said, “You face?” 

He didn’t get a good look at it, not really. All he saw was a dark red that resembled his father’s scars from the war. Burn scars. Ones that would never fade or heal. The worst scars. 

Then Zuko was collapsing the floor, arms covering his face as his breath came hard and fast. 

“Hey man, its okay,” Sokka said, laying a soft hand on the teens shoulder. 

“Get away from me,” he muttered, shoulders shaking. “Get away from me!” he screamed.

But Sokka was not going to accept that, he knew a panic attack when he saw one. He knew it when he had visited the air temples with Aang and the teen had collapsed over the skeletons of his dead family. He knew it when he saw his sister as she shook and cried at the news that their father had been one of the fallen ones a week before the latter came saying that he was safe. He had seen it with his own father in the weeks that followed his mother’s death where even the mention of her name caused him to fall into a panic. He had experienced it himself when he thought he had lost his sister to the blizzards and thought he was it, that everything was over. 

He refused to leave. Instead he sat down in the snow and wrapped his arms the small teen, the teen who looked so small and broken in the snow. He wrapped his arms around him and started humming again, humming the song that his mother used to hum to him. 

Vaguely he pulled the words from his memory, words he had not song in years. 

“Child of the snow, although the cold forever grows, we are here, we are here for you.   
Child of the earth, all round the world we hear you, we are here for you, trust us  
Child of the fire, please don’t cry now, we will try for you, we are here for you  
Child of the air, we care, although the world fills with you, we are here for you.”

It calmed down the teen enough for Sokka to be able to lift him into his arms and once again he was saddened at how light the teen was. He didn’t know where to take him but his house seemed like the best bet. Katara would be able to heal him physically and Aang almost always seemed to know how to cheer someone up. 

He moved quickly then, holding the fire nation teen bridal style and not caring that he was curled up on Sokka’s chest. It seemed to take ages to get home, to lay the teen in his bed and to boil warm water for him. Warm water to contrast to the cold air. Somewhere along the way the teen had passed out. 

Sokka didn’t mind. It would be easier to explain to him once he woke up and was calm. 

Katara was not home, nor was Aang, nor even Toph. Although where the girl had gone he had no idea. Katara and Aang were probably making out somewhere, as disgusting as it was because really he would rather not think about that. He decided he could probably skip out on the peace talk that afternoon. Really he didn’t mind. He would rather help this teen. This fire nation teen? 

Ugh. 

But as he looked at him, curled up in the bed with the thickest blanket Sokka owned laid on top of him some thing else settled inside of the water tribe teen. Because this boy, because he was a boy, was so like him and his family, so human, that Sokka could not bring himself to associate him with the fire of death anymore. With the fire that burned their village down and took their mother. He wondered if Katara would agree? If Aang, for all his monk-ness, would agree? 

Because he was still most likely a fire bender, even if Sokka himself had never seen him bend fire. He was still from the nation that started and fuelled the war. He was still most likely evil. But he was human too, and that meant it was okay, right? 

Unbidden Sokka’s mind flashed to the moment where he lay in the snow laughing, the other teen on top of him. His mind flashed to the moment before the teen had fallen and most likely hurt himself. The moment where his face was lit up and he was smiling so relaxed and free. He thought about how beautiful the other teen was and hoped, pleaded with the spirits, that it was okay to find someone from the fire nation attractive. To find someone from the fire nation beautiful. 

He hoped so. Now the other teen would sleep and he would wait in the sitting room until he awoke. He would make tea and wait for Katara to get back, maybe he would play with Momo or something. For now, he would wait.

========//////=============

Zuko did not wake for a long time. It was nearing sunset when the teen finally rose. Sokka decided that this was a good thing. If his body hadn’t needed the sleep then he wouldn’t have slept, it was a simple as that. 

He wakes drowsy, mask firmly fixed in place thanks to some seal glue in the place that it had snapped and Sokka’s quick thinking. He doesn’t yell or scream but wakes slowly and quietly. Sokka is there, waiting for him with some tea. 

“Hey, sleeping dragon, I thought you would never wake,” Zuko seems confused by his presence, by everything really. He looks lost and the comment only lightens the mood a little. “I brought you tea,” he is careful not to touch the teens hands as he passes the cup over. 

“thank you,” his voice was quiet and raspy, “I apologise for what happened.” 

“Its okay man, I have had panic attacks before too. Your good.” The teens face lit up and it made Sokka’s heartbeat pick up. He was so pretty. 

In another room there is a loud bang and both teens jump. Sokka moves first though, making a sh motion and exiting to the main room. It has to be his sister and he knows that she will be too intense for Zuko right now. Yell she is too intense for him most days. 

He is right about it being Katara, and she is pissed. At what, he doesn’t know but he is sure he is about to find out. Behind her trails an anxious looking Aang, Toph not to far behind with a smirk on her face. Why does she always have to be so smug?

“Katara? Whats wrong?” He calls out. 

She turned to him then and he was glad that he wasn’t carrying any water for her to weaponize. “You!” she growled, “You weren’t there!” 

He shrugged, he understood that she was upset but really, why was him not being there that big a deal? “I was busy,” he mumbled. 

“Well guess what mister BUSY!” she screamed, wow she was being very loud. 

“Katara,” Aang tried, but it didn’t work. 

“No Aang, this is not okay, he wasn’t there which means he couldn’t say no.” 

“Katara what are you talking about?” he moved forward as if to calm her because that was his thing really, calming people down. 

She growled before throwing herself onto the couch. “They decided on the main point of the treaty. The main agreement. Would you like to know what it is?” 

He was getting worried now. “Sure?”

“A marriage, a marriage between the nations. Between the child of the chief and the heir to the throne.” 

Suddenly Sokka understood her anger. “You are getting an arranged marriage.” 

“No,” Sokka was confused because what? “You are! And if you had been there you might have a choice in this situation but because you what off doing who knows what you won’t get a choice!”

Sokka froze. Okay. He was absolutely not going to panic. He was absolutely not going to panic. Oh fuck he was panicking. 

Then he was gone, slamming his door closed as he sunk to his knees behind it. In his rush he locked it and shut it and covered his ears. He didn’t know what this meant, hadn’t had a chance to process it. He wondered if having heard it from his dad would have made it better. Wondered if having been at the meeting and been able to be apart of the conversation would have made it easier. 

He had always hoped to marry for love if he was going to marry at all. He had always wanted to hold onto this one part of himself and control this one part of himself. He would let his sister dictate how he spent his time, let himself be used to calm people down and hold the family together. He would be the next chief, that was going to be his future. He had hoped to find a lovely young lady to marry, at one time he had thought it would be Suki, had hoped and clung to the idea that maybe, just maybe Suki would stay with him. He had also hoped that maybe it would be one of the teens that Aang talked about on his travels, one of the young men he had once brought back to visit the south pole. But that to had failed and died. The boy with bright green eyes had hissed and growled at him when he had tried to hold his hands and had called him broken for liking men. 

He knew that wasn’t true, knew in the way his father looked at Bato and the way Suki had looked at Lin, one of the other women, one of the other warriors she commanded. Yet for awhile he had hidden after that. Maybe it was different for him, maybe he wasn’t allowed to have love with another man. It seemed the spirits had cursed him, now he wasn’t allowed to have love with anyone. 

He took in a deep breath and looked up. Maybe he was so broken that he wasn’t allowed love at all. That would be taken from him in order to patch up after the war. Nothing had changed on the roof, it was the same as always, it was the same ice roof as always. That calmed him. 

There was a hand on his leg then and when he looked down he was looking into a gold eye. 

“I am sorry,” the voice was hesitant but more awake. It was filled with gentle care, hesitant hope, and a tentative affection. 

“Did you hear it all?” His voice sounded so broken. Some part of him called for anger, told him to yell at his dad and at the firelord who had decided he was to be married to the future of the fire nation. 

Zuko didn’t respond right away but he did tighten his grip on Sokka’s knee. He nodded though and took a deep breath. He looked as upset as Sokka felt. He looked at this teen, this beautiful teen. He didn’t have the choice to fall in love with him now, he didn’t know if would, he didn’t know if he even could be. 

Suddenly he reached out to the other teen. He remembered the dance on the first night. Dances were such a big part of his cultural, and he had taught this clumsy fire nation teen to dance. He had felt the hard lines of muscle and the long lines of his body pressed up against his and he had told himself that no matter how attractive the other teen was when you dance as they had danced you were practically talking, getting to know each other, it was not an opportunity to start slobbering on the other, that was not the kind of dance, not the kind of music. 

He didn’t know what he was thinking then but in all the irritation, in the annoyance and the anger and the sadness he reached out and kissed the teen in front of him. He could never love this teen now; he could maybe never love anyone. And it didn’t matter if he wanted to, it didn’t matter if he even wanted to. But he did know that in this moment he would reach out because that was all he could do. 

Zuko froze but he didn’t pull away. There was a moment where Sokka waited, waited for him to return the kiss. But he didn’t. The water tribe teen pulled away; he didn’t know what he had been thinking. He hid his head on the door, a loud thumb. Fuck his life. 

But then there were two gentle hands on his shoulders and a mouth on his kissing him gently. Sokka returned the kiss full force. He had never kissed anyone before. He might never kiss anyone by choice again. 

That thought made him push forward, made him throw himself on the other teen until he could lay directly on top of Zuko. The beautiful fire nation boy. 

He could feel all of him now, could feel those hard lines of his body again and feel the taunt muscles of his chest. Zuko pulled back then, pulled back and pushed himself away from Sokka and then he was sitting away, kneeling before the water tribe teen. 

“What?” He had thought that that had been good, had felt the other teen, felt all of him. “What happened?” 

Zuko did not speak for a second, took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His hands clenched into fists on his thighs. “I need to introduce myself,” Sokka froze, eyes wide, what? “I am Prince Zuko, heir to the fire throne, I hope that this friendship is plentiful and that I make a good companion for you.” 

Sokka stopped for a second. He… what? Okay, he could deal with this, he could deal with this. 

He didn’t want to think right now so instead he leaned forward and kissed Zuko again, Prince Zuko. His betrothed? Nope, he was not going to think about that. That’s why he was kissing him. That’s why…

He felt hands at the back of his neck, pulling him closer, tugging at the hair there. He felt his hair tie snap and hair fall in his face, he felt his body light up, he felt the hands at his neck get warmer and pull and he pulled back again. 

The hands didn’t move instead they just pulled tighter against him, begging him to come back to the kiss, to come closer again. He didn’t do that though, instead he learnt his forehead forward, felt the princes forehead against his own. He could feel the breath mixing with his own, feel the sweat already built up. 

“Say it again,” he doesn’t know why but he needs Zuko to say it again, he needs the prince to say it again. 

Zuko shook his head in mild confusion. 

“please,” he sounded so desperate. 

“I am Prince Zuko,” Sokka thrust forward and kissed him again, he needed that hot mouth on his right now. “Heir to the fire throne,” he dove forward again. To kiss the prince, to kiss his betrothed. “I hope that this friendship is plentiful and that I make a good companion for you.” 

He stopped fully then. He didn’t know what to do but, “You are beautiful.” He drew a hand down the side of Zuko’s face, caressed where the skin met the leather that blocked his scar, “So beautiful.” 

The prince sat back then, his face bright red. He looks as though he about to stand. “I heard everything.” 

“Then you know?” of course he knows, he knows they are to be married. He knows that although they know nothing about each other they are to be married. That they just made out and it still changes nothing. Zuko nods. “Say it.” 

“We are to be married, for the union of our people, we are to be married.” 

There is a knock on the door then, gentle and hesitant but still there. Zuko goes silent and stiff and Sokka wants to reach out and hold him. Even if this is the person that he will be forced to love and be forced to marry and even if he doesn’t know if he can right now, he wants to reach and hold him and try. 

“Sokka? Can I come in?” 

“It’s my dad,” he whispers, although he knows they were probably quite loud before, “Hide,” he whispers again, “Hide.” 

Zuko takes a second and then he is moving, scrambling to find something big enough to hide behind. It takes him a second and then is in the closet, hidden amongst the clothes saved for true winter. 

Once the teen prince, prince, is hidden he calls out to his father to come in. 

Hakoda comes and sits before him, kneeling almost exactly how Zuko had before, almost exactly where Zuko had. But he isn’t Zuko, no, he is Hakoda, chief of the water tribe, here to talk to his son about how he will be marrying someone he doesn’t know. Shouldn’t know. 

The man reaches out, a gentle smile on his lips, and places a hand on his son’s knee. “Katara told you,” Sokka doesn’t need to nod for it to be true, for his father to know. “I am sorry she did that, I had wanted to be the one to tell you, I had needed to be the one to tell you.”

He takes a deep breath and focuses on the hand on his knee. “Why?” He hadn’t meant to ask that. 

“They had nothing else to offer son, just a boy who will one day take the fire throne. We have no use for their land, no use for their trade lines. They could offer us connection to the northern tribe but that would not be anywhere near enough.”

“But I am a boy! We cannot produce heirs!” There is a shuffling in the corner of the room and Sokka speaks again quickly, drawing attention back to himself. “They care about that kind of thing, don’t they?” 

Hakoda runs a hand through his hair, his beads clanking together. His marriage bead and warrior bead snapping together and drawing Sokka’s attention. He wondered if he would get that now, wondered if he would get a bead for marriage as his father carried. Wondered if he would be allowed to. “Son,” his attention snapped back then, back to his father, back to the present. “Along time ago there was a marriage between the fire kingdom and the water kingdom for similar reasons.”

“For union and peace,” Sokka said. 

“Yes, although at that time it was us who attacked, or rather, our sister tribe attacked. After 60 long years of fighting they called a peace and needed to organise someway to make peace. So, a marriage. The Firelord at the time was rather taken with one of the chief’s sons and so they were wed. At the time it was not uncommon for men to be together, at least in the fire nation. In the water nation and earth nation it was much more uncommon. The reason being that male fire benders can nurture and birth a child to full term, with the help of a little water bending that is.” 

“What?” 

Hakoda sighed, “Please don’t make me repeat myself. Male fire benders can give birth. I don’t understand it either.” He chuckled lightly and Sokka joined him, it was kind of funny. “The thing is that the water tribe boy was actually infertile, there was no child born of their union. The firelord had a younger brother so it was fine, the throne got passed to him and his children were able to take the reins. When Azulon gained power, he declared that all people discovered partaking in activity with the same gender, or sex, would be executed.”

Sokka felt something inside him shift and break. His eyes moved to the closet which was miraculously quiet. Zuko had been raised being told that if you loved someone of the same gender you would be killed. And he had felt how Zuko had been feeling when they had kissed, felt how interested the boy had been. “And they want two men to be married?” 

“it is a sign of change, a sign of difference and unity among us as well as others. It is a sign of change Sokka.” 

“Dad… I have been willing to give up everything in my life for us, for the tribe, for its survival, all I wanted was to love the person I would marry.” He didn’t know if he could do that yet, if it were possible. He might be able to but... he wanted the choice. 

“Son, your mother and I, we had an arranged marriage.” 

“What?” 

“We both came from water benders; our children were more likely to be water benders. We could revitalise our culture, our tribe. It was not easy sometimes, we were by no means a perfect match, but… we loved and respected each other more then most. I did not want this for you son but… I trust that you can do this Sokka. I trust that you can do this.”

Sokka pulled his dad forward into a hug, wrapped his arms around the man as tight as he could. Hakoda was right. He could do this. He glanced once more at the closet and thought of the man it contained. His betrothed. His future husband. 

“I think I can do this.” His dad pulled back and Sokka thought he might cry. “I can do this.” 

“Okay,” Hakoda said, “Okay, not that you have come to terms with it there is more we need to discuss.” 

Sokka nodded. He could do this.

“Before you get married you will get the chance to talk and discuss. Get to know each other better. You told Katara that the master swordsman-.”

“Master Piandao.”

“Yes, Sokka, master Piandao, accepted you as his student?” He waited for his sons nod before continuing, “the prince is his student as well. You two will be studying together. And while the peace talks will continue it will need to be decided whether you two will both partake in the conversation anymore or whether you will use that time to become more acquainted and discuss aspects of your betrothal and what it will entail.” That made sense, Sokka nodded again. “He and the firelord will be joining us for dinner tonight.” 

He paused, “Okay, I can do that.” He took a deep breath, unclenching and clenching his hands. “Okay, um… dad would I be able to have some time alone now?” 

Hakoda smiled kindly and pulled his dad into another hug. “One last thing, we will not be announcing the marriage yet, not until everything is decided so… try and keep it just between our family.” 

“Okay. Thank you,” And then the man was gone and Zuko hesitantly stepped out of the closet and into the room. He knelt then, back where he had before. Unlike before though he didn’t initiate any contact. 

“I am sorry Sokka,” but the water tribe boy shook his head. No, the other didn’t need to apologise, he was being forced in to this as well after all. 

“No,” he didn’t reach out to kiss the other boy. He wasn’t going to do that again, at least not for a while. Before he had kissed the teen out of desperation, out of the need to control his own situation not even realising that he was kissing the one he would marry. When he had found out he had done it again to try and gain some of the control back. So, he would not kiss the other teen until he knew who he was kissing, even if the other teen was beautiful and sweet. It wasn’t fair on either of them. He did reach out and grab the other by both his shoulders though. His hands were light but very present. “Do not apologise, you don’t have a choice in this either.” 

“I know but-.” 

“No Zuko, please. You don’t, you don’t need to apologise, this is not your fault, nor is it mine. We need to be together in this.” He looked hesitant and Sokka squeezed his shoulders, “I’m sorry I kissed you before. That was not fair of me.” 

The prince went bright red and shook his head. “I liked it,” and it looked like it physically pained him to say that. Sokka wondered at the level that the self-hate must go. He wondered how deep that fear ran, how much his own attraction to others made him scared of his own family, of his culture. 

His words though, his admittance, it made Sokkas own face flush red. “I did too but I don’t want to do it again, not… not yet.” Okay that may be a small lie but… “I want to get to know you better first. I want to try and make this work for us emotionally not just physically because physically…” He paused there and squeezed the other teens shoulders again. He felt Zuko shiver under his hands, and he felt himself shiver in return. “We need to go out now and prepare for dinner, I am sure that the firelord is looking for you as well.” 

Zuko nodded and his eyes glanced towards the window. Okay so maybe they probably shouldn’t be seen together. Not yet anyway. From the way his father spoke they weren’t meant to have actually met yet or really talked yet. Maybe the window was a smart idea. 

He nodded towards it before standing and heading for the door. Zuko stopped him though calling out his name, “Sokka,” he turned to look at the teen, “Thank you,” and the amount of thanks in his eyes was insane. 

He turned around then and decided to wait for the sound of the window closing to open his own door. He was only slightly surprised to find Toph sitting at the table waiting for him.

She was smiling smugly in his direction, and ugh, he didn’t know if he could deal with this right now. 

“Hey Toph,” he muttered, pulling out the seat across from her. “What are you doing?” 

On the table in front of her was a Pai Sho board that had been set up but not played yet. He noticed that in her hands she held the white lotus tile. Sokka knew how to play himself but not many in the south pole were interested in playing with him often. “What does it look like?” She grinned at him, eyes closed, “I’m playing Pai Sho!” 

“It looks like your trying to figure out how to play Pai Sho, not like you are actually playing.” 

She shrugged, “eh, you win some you lose some. Speaking of winning some. Who’s that boy in your room?” Why did she always have to sound so smug when she talked. 

He groaned. “It doesn’t matter.” 

“Oh? Cause usually it matters when you are engaged to be married and you have a boy in your room,” she chuckled then, “Unless of course the boy in your room is your fiancé, which quite frankly, is kind of worse.” 

He paused, “What?” 

She chuckled again, turning the tile over once, twice, three times in her hands. “Well, in most cases the interactions between betrothed are meant to be watched. For two reasons really. One, they don’t want people losing their virginity because for the woman they lose value, or something,” she growled at that point and quite frankly Sokka agreed. “Two, and here’s the main reason, if you get to know each other too well before you get married you might realise you don’t want to marry the other.” Toph shrugged, it sucked but…

“If I want to spend time with Zuko I plan to, I will still marry him even if I don’t like him, I don’t care what they say. I will be spending time with him whenever I like. These rules are stupid.” 

“Your telling me sister.” It was silent for a couple of seconds before Toph slammed the tile on the table, “I don’t understand this stupid game, no one even get hurts!” 

“Here I’ll teach you,” it was a decent conversation change as any. 

============///////////==============

“I was hoping that by doing this regularly it would allow Zuko and Sokka to become more acquainted.” Iroh said, his fork halfway between his plate and his mouth. 

Sokka and Zuko were sat next to each other, Katara opposite her brother and her boyfriend by her side. Toph found herself at the head of the table seated between the two siblings. Iroh and Hakoda sat opposite each other as well, Hakoda next to Aang while Iroh sat next to his family. 

Sokka could see it now, the family resemblance. They had the same eyes, something he had seen before but now that he thought about it no one else had had those eyes. “Are the eyes hereditary?”

Okay he hadn’t actually meant to ask that. But now that the question was out there, he supposed he couldn’t hurt to hear the answer. 

Iroh chuckled to himself while Zuko sat even taller. “Indeed, it is. Not many outside of the fire nation know, of course not many pay enough attention to the royal family. But indeed, the golden eyes are a sign of descendance from the first firelord.” 

There was silence again as everyone at silence, not even Aang was talking. “Tell me prince Zuko, are you a fire bender as well?” Katara was honestly a life saver. Now that she wasn’t angry anymore anyway. 

Zuko nodded silently and Sokka felt the urge to reach out and place a hand on his knee to calm him. Among the water tribe it was normal to do so, to do so to anyone who was uncomfortable. He wondered how it would be received by someone from the fire nation though, someone who had been brought up without much physical contact and who’s cultural deemed that you only exchange physical intimacies between those romantically involved. But the boy looked like he was panicking and…

Sokka reached out a hand and laid it gently on the teens knee, just a soft touch, just enough to be comforting. He got a smug look from Toph next to him, but he ignored him. After the initial surprise it seemed to calm the teen though, so he would not retract his hand, even if Toph was giving him that look. The fact that his cheeks were dusted with light pink and made him look reasonable cute helped. 

Aang bounced up in his seat. “Would you be willing to train me!” 

He felt the fire bender tense under his hand. He wondered if Zuko would be willing fire bend for him. He gently squeezed his hand and felt the other relax, if only slightly, before answering. “I would be willing to try but… I am not very good myself.” 

“Nonsense Zuko, you are a wonderful fire bender!” 

“You give me too much credit.” Sokka noticed that Zuko had barely touched his food and remembered how light the teen had been in his arms. He wondered if there was anyway for him to subtly get the other to eat without drawing attention to it. He also wondered why he cared, of course they were going to be married. He clenched his fist and why did it make him so happy when Zuko moved his leg to nudge Sokka’s own. “But I would be honoured to try to teach you fire bending. If you would let me.” 

He bowed them, his hands coming up to do the bow he had down to Sokka that morning. 

“The other fire benders do morning mediation, but I never see you there?” Wow Aang was awfully observant. 

He nodded, coming out of the bow. “I prefer to do my mediations alone, it allows me more freedom in how I do them rather than having to stick to the standard regimen.” 

Aang smiled and bounced in his seat, “Do you mind if you join you?”

He was tense again, his face set in a frown. “Maybe for the latter part-.”

“Oh, I am so excited! Where do you do it?” 

His frown intensified, “by the eastern side under the cliffs, but-.” 

“I will see you there tomorrow at sunrise!” 

Sokka himself frowned then. “Aang, I think he was trying to say something?” 

The Avatar paused and looked between the two but looked thoroughly chastised, “Sorry.” 

“I would prefer to spend the early part of the time alone however you can join me just after the suns bottom has breached the horizon.” 

Toph chuckled to herself, “Bottom.” 

And suddenly the whole table was laughing. Okay maybe this wasn’t the worst after all. 

===========///////////==========

Sokka hadn’t been able to sleep much, his mind weighed down with thoughts of marriage and Zuko and soft lips on his own. So, when he arrived at the eastern side of the village under the cliffs, wooden training sword in hand, he was rather tired. While he had been apart of the conversation at dinner, he was still quite surprised to find an ever excited Aang and an almost broken looking Zuko awaiting him. 

Aang was bouncing around and the fire nation prince had his face in his hands as he seemed to heave into them. 

“ahh Aang?” he asked as he got closer, “What happened?” 

Aang bounce happily over to him, using his air bending to his advantage. “Hi Sokka! We were just mediating and fire bending when Zuko seemed to get a bit frustrated.” 

Sokka turned to his fiancé and tried not to sigh. Well, honestly, he wasn’t sure if he should be worried or amused. He decided that it was probably rude to laugh. “Aang, I think Katara was looking for you, she said something about hoping you guys could hang out while the house was empty.”

That got the Avatars attention. The teens face lit up and he ran away to, probably, go suck face with Katara and no thank you he did not want to think about that. Once that issue was dealt with, he turned his attention to the actual fire bender. 

“Hey Zuko, you okay bud?” He asked, laying a hand on his shoulder. 

Zuko jumped up in response, a yell leaving his mouth. “How does he have so much energy? Why does he have so much energy?” 

He seemed like he was about to cry. 

Sokka couldn’t help it, he started laughing. Maybe it was rude but, as Zuko kept ranting he was just reminded of how much of a headache it was to deal with an easily excitable 13 year old avatar. 

“This is not funny!” Zuko yelled, stamping his foot indignantly. Sokka just laughed harder. He felt tears coming to his eyes. “I do not understand how Katara can even deal with him! He never stops talking and asking questions! Why do you this Zuko?! Why is half your face covered Zuko?! Do you wanna see a trick Zuko?!” 

Sokka fell to the floor as he laughed. “This is amazing!” 

“Why?!” And the look on his face was just priceless. He looked so confused and helpless and looked so small and innocent. 

“You just know how it feels now!” He continued laughing, bending at the legs to support himself. 

Zuko growled before talking him into the snow. It was the first time the young prince had ever initiated contact and quite frankly it was better then ever. Wrestling around in the snow while arguing about how annoying Aang could be. That was how master Piandao found them, wrestling around in the snow like idiots. Or really like the teenagers they were. 

The man stood over them chuckling as he watched Sokka try and struggle out of a choke hold. How Zuko had managed to get him in a choke hold in the first place still confused him but he was still laughing so it mattered little really. They both froze as they made eye contact with the man, staring up at him from the floor. The smirk on his face made Sokka suspect that his first lesson was going to be a tough one. He didn’t mind. Well, not yet. 

=============/////////////==============

The two days that followed were much of the same and Sokka found he quite liked training with Zuko. The other teen looked amazing while he was holding his Dao blades, the way his body moved stirring up parts of the water tribe teen he had promised himself would not be stirred up for a long while. The more time he spent around his intended the more he found himself becoming more comfortable with the idea, although he got no time to be alone with him in that time. He was hoping that he would get some time the next day but was unsure, between his morning mediation, training Aang, training with master Piandao and the peace meetings and then dinner it seemed like they would get no time unchaperoned. 

The evening of the third day of training Sokka found himself in a world of pain, his muscles telling him to please sit down. He of course just wanted to find some nice food to eat, of course Zuko was coming again to have dinner. Him and Iroh that is. And it was just as awkward as the first night. Except this time Aang had decided to share what they had done in training and Zuko tried to avoid everyone’s eyes. Sokka’s hand, which had once again found its way to Zuko’s knee squeezed gently while he laughed. The pinch he received in return was probably warranted. Even if it did make him laugh harder. 

The air was relatively light after that, that is until Toph began speaking. “So, why the leather fireboy?” 

Zuko had tensed more then before and as Sokka glanced at his face he remembered when he undergone his panic at the third day of being at the South pole. It had been triggered by his mask falling slightly off his face, and now Toph was asking him about it. 

He wondered if this could possibly go well at all. 

“Do you mind if I tell them Nephew?” Iroh asked, his tone gentle and only slightly probing. 

Sokka paused at that, “I thought Iroh was your dad?” 

Zuko didn’t respond at that. In fact, the whole table was silent now. “May I be excused?” It was quiet and Zuko refused to move his one good eye from the table. 

“Of course Nephew,” Zuko quickly stood after that, making his way out of the kitchen and out of the house completely. All the eyes turned back to Iroh as he kept talking, “And yes young Sokka, I am only Zuko’s uncle. His father is the previous firelord, firelord Ozai.” 

It seemed as though the man was going to continue but it didn’t feel right to hear this from anyone but Zuko. He didn’t know if he should say this of course, especially considering it was the firelord. He probably shouldn’t say anything. So instead he decided to go with Zuko’s escape plan. 

“May I also be excused?” He didn’t look to Iroh as Zuko had, instead he looked to his father just across the table. The chief frowned but nodded his head, he seemed slightly uncomfortable as well. 

Sokka was quick to leave but instead of heading out of the house he heads to his room, fully intending to leave through the window at the first opportunity. That opportunity came mere seconds later as he found himself leaving as quickly and quietly as possible. He made sure to bring left overs from the past two nights, having kept some in his room on the off chance he could give it to Zuko when they were alone. 

This may be a good chance for them to spend time alone, he just had to find him. The first place he looked was under the eastern cliffs where they had had most of their meaningful experiences. His first instinct seemed to prove correct as he found the teen curled and hugging his knees to his chest sitting in the snow. He wondered if the teen was cold, but then again, he was a fire bender so probably not. 

“Hey Zuko,” he wondered if the prince even wanted company. Well it was too late now. He also wondered if the other teen longed to spend time with him as much as he longed to spend time with Zuko. “I brough you some food.” 

Zuko let out a weak dark chuckle, turning his head in Sokka’s direction. He was crying, the fire nation boy was crying. “You brought me food, of course you brought me food.” 

“Well you haven’t been eating? And you are really light? And…” 

Zuko let out a more genuine laugh this time, one that broke through his tears and made his entire face light up. “You are so beautiful,” oh wow he had not meant to say that. Both teens face were flushed with red, although Sokka would say that it just made Zuko more attractive while he was sure it only detracted from his own. It was embarrassment that made him shove the food in the teens direction, “Five flavour soup, you didn’t even try it at dinner last night. It tastes better warm though so it might be good to heat it up.” 

Zuko didn’t immediately go to heat it up though and Sokka tilted his head at his hesitance. “What’s wrong?” 

The prince was quiet when he spoke. “You,” he took a deep breath, “I.” 

“Zuko, its okay,” the hand on the shoulder seemed to once again calm him down. It seemed that even though he hadn’t had much physical affection it seemed to almost always help. 

“I don’t want to disgust you with my bending, your entire family and culture has been hurt by fire bending and to use it so blatantly…” 

Sokka couldn’t help it when he pulled the uncovered hands into his own. They were so cold. He really needed to get the teen some gloves. “I…” he sighed; how did he explain it. “I want to see you bend, it would be-,” Spirits curse him he might as well rip the bandage off, “It would be hot.” 

And Zuko was red again. “But it causes nothing but destruction and pain?” 

That made him pause, “Zuko, are you scared of your own bending?” 

There was silence as Sokka gently rubbed the prince’s hands between his own. They were so very cold. So soft and so very, very cold. He pulled them to his mouth and started breathing on them, hoping it might help warm them up even more. 

“Can I,” he took a deep breath, and hesitated. “I like when you touch me.” 

Oh great moon spirit that would fuel his wet dreams for weeks. And of course the only possible response was to pull the teen into a shoulder to shoulder hug. It seemed to bring a light smile to the young princes sleep and that smile would make Sokka do anything.

But he would not let him drop the other question. “Zuko… why are you scared of your own bending?” 

His body shuddered as he breathed. “Do you know why my uncle took over the thrown?” 

Sokka shook his head. He felt like this was important and he did not want to speak and interrupt him. It seemed hard for Zuko to speak sometimes, for him to share and ask for things. 

“I was sitting in on my fathers war meeting, as the heir to the throne I would need the experience for when I became the firelord. I knew not to speak, not to offer input, I was simply there to watch. But one of the admirals suggested a technique to take over a heavily defended earth kingdom village that I did not agree with.” There was a sharp intake of breath here and once again Sokka felt his betrothed shake in his arms. “They wanted to send a whole squad of new recruits, sixteen year old men and woman, teenagers the same ages as you and I, into a battle they could not win. They wanted to use them as bate and cannon fodder. The entire squadron was made of conscription soldiers. All of them were forced to be there.”

Sokka had to pause to take that in, one of the admirals had wanted to sacrifice an entire division of teens that were forced to fight in the first place. What the fuck. 

“I could not hold my tongue. I told the man that it was cruel and horrible, I told my father to not let him go through with it. My father said I had to prove my honour in an Agni Kai. A battle between firebenders to prove who is superior. I thought I was to fight the admiral but when I entered the arena, hundreds of people in the stands it was my father I was staring up at. I bowed before him and told him I was sorry but he refused to let me back down. I refused to fight, my father did not. My uncle was due back that week. I was to be banished. My uncle, seeing what my father had done challenged the firelord to his own Agni Kai. Except uncle fought his brother and won, took over the title of firelord and sent letters of peace as soon as he could. I was 13.” 

Sokka held the crying prince in his arms and wondered what his father could have done to him. He felt his body light up with anger, with the need to hunt the man down to the ends of the earth and ruin his life. It didn’t matter that that had basically already been done, it didn’t matter that the man had lost everything. Right now there was a crying teen in his arms who was still suffering from what his father had down to him. He didn’t want to ask but he had to know. 

“Zuko?” The crying teen froze, “What did he do to you?” 

There was a sharp intake of breath and the body pulled away from him. He thought for a second that he had made a mistake, that he had pushed him too far, but the teen did not head back up the cliff, nor down to the water. Instead he turned to face Sokka, on his knees and bowed and slid his hands to the back of his head to unclasp the leather that wrapped around his face. 

When it feel Sokka thought he might be sick. Half of the prince’s face was disfigured and melted. His entire eye was ruined as well as what looked like his ear. It was still bring red as if it had just happened and made Sokka hate the old firelord even more. Now it wasn’t because of what he had done to the world, it wasn’t because he was the man that stole Sokka’s mum or killed most of there village and tribe. No Sokka hated him because he was the man that stole this teens childhood and disfigured him in front of a court of hundreds. 

“It is disgusting, just as fire bending is. No good comes of it.” Those words sent chills down Sokka’s spine. It couldn’t be right. That no good could come of it. It would not exist if no good could come of it. Just like water bending, just like every bending style. It could be used to hurt, to take away life and ruin but, but it could be used for good too. 

Sokka gently reached out a hand and caressed Zukos face, the tips of his fingers gently sliding along the edge of the burns. The prince flinches at the contact, taken aback at the possibility that someone would be willing to touch someone as disgusting and disfigured as himself. He stares eyes wide at Sokka, and Sokka wonders not for the first time if the teen really sees him. 

“I don’t think fire bending is disgusting. I think it can be used to hurt and ruin and kill, but so can all the other bending forms. So can many many things in this world that also have good in them. This scar is horrible Zuko, but it is not you. I will not sit here and say you are beautiful for having this scar, but you are beautiful in spite of it. It should not be something you are self-conscious of, it should be something you can show that you have lived through and still proudly own. He tried to brand you with this, tried to say that you were his and even he did not accept you. But instead he hurt you and you lived through it and you are your own person and that is beautiful. Fire bending is a form a life, a form of creation. It is the only bending that comes from within, that you create from inside you. It is so beautiful.” Sokka may have said he wouldn’t kiss the prince again, at the time he had meant it. But right now beneath the ice cliffs with tears drying on both their cheeks he leans forwards and lets his lips caress the others. Everything he said was true. Everything he said was real. He needed Zuko to know that, to accept that. 

He was real, he was true, and whether they liked it or not he was not leaving. They were stuck together forever. “I don’t know if I love you Zuko, I don’t know if I can love you,” he says, because its true. They will marry and Sokka may never truly love him, what he does know is, “But I care for you. I see you not eating at dinner and it makes me worry because you need to look after yourself. I see you move through your fighting forms and it makes my heart stop with how beautiful it is. I see this scar on your face and it tells me how strong you are, how strong you, my future husband is. I don’t know if I can love you Zuko but spirits curse it you are making me strongly lean towards yes.” 

Zuko jumps him then, hugs his arms around his neck and kisses him, its only lips on lips, no tongue, neither of them are ready for that. But it speaks of the truth, of the openness and the honesty. Zuko struggles with his words, Sokka has known little more then a week and he can already see that. He struggles asking for things because all his life asking and talking have been seen as weakness or disrespect and he has been punished because of it. He does not know if he can love Zuko but what he can do is create a world, a home, in which he is comfortable speaking out, saying what he means and asking for things when he wants them. 

When the kiss breaks apart the two lean on each other, foreheads touch and breath mingling. It is warm, so warm. And Sokka wants to deepen the kiss, to pull the teen even closer, to grind against him the way he resisted on the first night. But no, they would not do that. They could not do that. Not yet. 

Tomorrow evening his father and Zuko’s uncle would be announcing the marriage. Sokka found himself being okay with it, if only a little bit. He was okay with it. 

===========/////////////==========

They stay like that in the snow, arms wrapped around each other and breath mingling for a long while. Zuko begins to fall asleep at some point and Sokka realises just how emotionally draining sharing such horrible stories must have been. 

Sokka, a warrior in his own right and the man who would have become the next chief, finds this sleeping boy adorable. Not his boy, not yet, maybe never even if they do wed. The water tribe teen doesn’t laugh or giggle, but he does realise that they need to get out of the snow and somewhere warm, even the most hardened of water tribe members could not last to long in the snow without getting sick. 

So, just as he has done for the children of the tribe when they get lost in storms, he bundles the prince up in his arms and carries him to his home. He tries to go a back way but is not shy, all of the village know that he will protect anyone, no matter the reason, no matter the cost. 

Some may look at Katara and call her the clue of the family, the one to hold them together after his mothers death but most will look at the family and all there in and know that it was Sokka that held each of them as they cried. They will see the young man, the young warrior, and know that he is the true protector even if he lacks the bending ability that is sister so coverts. 

Trekking through the cold snow with a light body pressed to his chest is reminiscent of only half a week ago. But this time the boy is asleep rather then passed out and, Sokka hopes, he feels safe. This time the sky is dark with night and the moon shines above, a protector, a guide. This time he takes the prince to his own lodging instead of carrying him home. 

When the pair get there, everyone knows where the royal family is staying after all, Sokka is greeted by the firelord at the door. He is smiling happily as if expecting them, a toothy grin as he points to a place for Sokka to place down the other boy and then leads him to a table where a game of Pai Sho is already set. 

“Would you be willing to entertain an old man with a game of Pai Sho?” The closed eye smile he gave should have set Sokka’s mind at ease, but it really did anything but. In fact, it made the air catch in his lungs and for second he couldn’t breathe. Every interaction he had with the firelord before this had been gentle, had been a conversation between a young man and an old grandfather figure.

“Do I really get a choice?” No this was different. 

The old man chuckled and motioned towards a chair opposite him at the dining room table. “Please sit, I am sure you know the rules?” 

Sokka tried to chuckle as well, tried to keep the air light and not let the all consuming fear and anxiety crush him. Didn’t this guy have another name? the dragon of the west or something?

And then they played. For a while it was quiet, each move done in the silence of their own thoughts. The water tribe teen would not be the first to break it. 

“So, Sokka, I heard that you did not take well to the news of the betrothal?” 

Well that was a bit of an understatement. “No, originally I did not. I had not considered it a possibility and as such had never had to come to terms with it. My father helped me though.” Wow when had he become so formal. Maybe it was the imposing presence of the firelord. Yeah, that was probably it. 

The firelord who chuckled again and took out one of his chore pieces. His jaw dropped slightly, what? When had he gotten that piece there? “Well I assure you that I understand whole heartedly. My own marriage was arranged and while I had known that it would be my whole life it was still difficult when actually meeting my future wife.” And when had Iroh dropped his more formal tone? 

“Did Zuko expect to be in an arrange marriage?” he glanced up from the bored here, something he had not done the entire game. He glanced up and his eyes met with gold ones across the way. The old man was smiling again, old hands stroking his grey beard. 

“Yes, he did. As did my son before he passed.” The man moved another piece and what. Sokka paused before responding. How had he taken another piece? Irritated he moved quickly into plan B, defend from the sides attack from the centre.

“Did he respond well then?” He thought he might as well ask. He didn’t get to see the prince’s reaction. 

The man hmm’ed and moved pieces in an ever more annoying way. Spirits damn him. “He was rather stoic about it. He seemed to be okay with it but my nephew is hard to read you must understand. As well as hard to trust. It takes him a long while to warm up to new people.” 

That made him pause because Zuko had warmed up to him almost instantly. He did not however offer up that information. Instead he took one of the old mans crucial defence pieces. Heh, suck on that old man.

“After what happened in his family he was resigned to doing whatever he had to, to help the country. Whether it was dying for the war or marrying for the sake of peace. My nephew is a quiet boy but he is strong. He will not ask for much but if he does you will follow through. Once he opens up it would be easy to crush him.” 

Sokka gulped. Okay, there was that threatening air again. It was starting to make sense why so many people feared the firelord. And by Tai and La he was having this conversation with the firelord. 

“Young Zuko always knew he would be in an arrange marriage, but he would not have to love the other person, just respect them. However,” he paused here, moving an offensive piece forward and somehow it marked the end for Sokka, he just knew it, “Were he too fall in love as well, that would be something quite amazing for him. And if the other person were to ruin it,” a deep belly chuckle, “I am sure there are other people that he could wed in the future.” 

Oh wow that was certainly very threatening. With half his board gone Sokka stared eyed wide at the other man. He had to think, had to figure out someway to respond. If what the man was saying was true, if Zuko had developed feelings for him maybe? Or if he did one day? No Sokka, the teen shook his head, no, focus on the game for now, focus on his words later. 

Staring intently at the board he saw something that the old man had missed. One of his sides had been undefended in his attempt to destroy Sokka’s own. 

“I would not want to cause any pain to your nephew, firelord Iroh.” He wondered if he would get in trouble for saying firelord like that, “he has already shown me his strength, and I would do anything to defend it.” The next few turns were had in silence, neither wanting to break the almost fragile truth that had been formed. It was only as the game was coming to a close, as Sokka’s final piece descended on mans own that he spoke. “I hope to be able to close to your nephew for years to come, for as long as he will have me.”

With the game won Sokka went to move, a sharp smile on his lips. The room was tense, the air thick like the snow outside. The mans laugh struck Sokka, the teen stumbling backwards as it reached his ears. “You are a good man Sokka, take care of my nephew,” he chuckled again, “And please, call me uncle.” 

Okay.

What?

=========///////////==========

The next evening arrives to quickly for Sokka’s liking. But he is okay with it, he is okay with dressing in his formal blues and whites and following his father onto stage. He is okay with having his hair down in the way that only those in peace time might. He is okay with walking with only his summer shoes into the hall as they are about to announce that he will be married. 

Okay maybe he isn’t okay with it. Maybe this whole thing is making his chest ache with anxiety because as beautiful and kind as Zuko is maybe he is not ready to commit. That doesn’t stop him from following his father onto the raised platform of the hall. It doesn’t stop him from taking his seat next to his father, his father who sits next to firelord Iroh, or uncle Iroh, who sits next to Zuko. Uncle Iroh who sits next to his betrothed.

All those who look on know that something important is going to happen. They know by the way the water tribe folk are dressed and by the hanging hair and by the straight back. They all know Sokka by name, know who he is, who he is meant to be. They don’t know that after tonight he will be officially engaged to be engaged. They don’t know that yet. 

His sister is by his side and she holds his hand tight enough to hurt. He has the insane need to look at Zuko, to see his golden eye and see if he is alright or if he is panicking as much as Sokka himself is. 

But the prince won’t look at him, wont look anywhere aside from the grand table set up for the rest of the tribe to eat at. He won’t look at him. 

“Silence,” His fathers voice is booming, echoing of every wall. Isn’t ice meant to absorb sound? He heard that somewhere, maybe from Aang. He doesn’t know. “Tonight we bring you together to announce what has been decided for the peace treaty.” 

And they everyone is quiet, staring expectantly up at the grand table. It feels like all eyes are on him but that’s insane right? Because they don’t know yet, right?

His father stands then and Iroh stands too and this is it, isn’t it? He looks at Zuko now, begging him to look back, to look at him. Please, he screams in his mind. 

He is surprised when Zuko does look at him. There is a small smile in the prince’s uncovered eye, he does not look anxious or nervous or any of the other synonyms that Sokka can think of. He looks calm, he looks ready. It steadies Sokka, just a bit, just enough for him to stand when his father places a hand on his shoulder. 

“The war has caused us much pain and sadness, as it has for all the nations of the world. The air nomads are all but wiped out and our own tribe has lost much of its culture. As you know the fire nation has come seeking to make amends for everything that has been done, they come seeking peace.” 

It feels like this has been said already, it feels like it doesn’t need to be said again. But as Sokka looks out over his people, his people and the handful of fire nation people listening he realises that maybe it can never be said to much. His hands clench at his sides but he continues listening. 

“The fire nation has already made peace with the earth nation. They have given up land and safe trade and passage with the hopes that it will make up for the war in years to come. We have no such need for land or for safe passage, we accept and welcome their national trade, but we will accept any support they have to rebuild our lands and tribe. However, that is not enough to make up for what we have lost. I know we all struggle with trust at this time, we struggle to know the truth of their words. I was out their fighting and even as I stand here I hope to make amends and it scares me that the possibility exists for another war.”

“With that said the fire nation proposed a union between our nations,” the firelord began. It all felt very practised and Sokka wondered if they had rehearsed this while he and Zuko had been off training. “The heir to the throne to be wed to one of the chief’s own children.”

“My son, Sokka, one of our finest warriors and prince Zuko of the fire nation will be married before the year is through to unite our nations once and for all.” There was a small gasp at the news, it seemed many of the fire nation personal did not approve of such a union and Sokka wondered if it is because he is water tribe or because he is a man. He seeks out that golden eye again and finds calm in the peace within, using it as a tether.

“We will share cultures with this union, the prince will be taught all there is to be a part of the southern water tribe and hope that the spirits bless there wedding. While we have not yet finalised all the details tonight, we celebrate what will hopefully be a wonderful and prosperous union between to nations.” 

There was a shout of excitement and Sokka thought that that was it, that they would begin the feast except his father’s hand went up and silence reigned once more. “I hope that I am able to contribute to all areas of this nation and help its growth.” 

Zuko’s voice was unexpected but it boomed like his father’s own voice had. He wondered if it had been difficult for the teen to talk so loud, after all he had never actually heard him so much more then a few sentences at a time and even then they were quiet, hidden by the snow. Only once had he raised his voice and it had been in irritation over Aang. He smiled slightly at the idea and saw Zuko’s cheeks redden when they made eye contact once more. 

And then, finally, the feast began. 

==========//////////===========

As always, the feast and eating segment was short, it was the dance that was truly the important bit. The passing of the Yaks milk from person to person as they buzzed with excitement over the hopeful union. 

The music tonight was different to how it had been the first night. Tonight, was not to welcome it was to celebrate and as such the music was faster, louder. It pushed and pulled you like the waves of the great sea during a storm, so tantalising, so tempting. 

People had already begun dancing, the tables that had been set up moved to the side of the room so they could properly connect with one another. Sokka chuckled as he watched some of the fire nation folk stand awkwardly on the side lines. It seemed they were just as lost as they had been the first night. His father and Bato were already dancing though and it was such a sight to see. There beads clanked in their hair as they danced together. The dancing tonight was much freer, the lines getting blurred even further. There were boundary’s in a welcome dance that celebration dances just did not have. After all, they were a celebration. 

His sister quickly disappeared in the mix, Aang by her side. He wondered if Aang approach father soon about a betrothal necklace. His fingers absently touched his own neck. He wondered if he would be getting one at all. 

With that thought his eyes flashed to where Zuko had been sitting just a few minutes ago but the beautiful teen was gone and even as Sokka glanced over the dancing bodies he knew he would not find the boy there. 

Tonight, was a night of celebration, celebration for them. He would not let the subject of the celebration hide out in the antechamber as he had last time. Well, he may, but if he were going to then he at least would not hide out alone. 

Moving quickly, his formal garb folding slightly around his legs and his feet yelling at him in the cold, he moved through the hall and into the antechamber that the other had been in last time. For now, he would ignore those wishing to congratulate him, them, he would deal with that later. At the moment he had a wayward betrothed to find. 

And find him he did. Just as last time he was standing staring out the window and Sokka couldn’t help but smirk as he saw the other. Leaning against the door in the smoothest way he possibly could he said, “Hey.” 

Zuko jumped, and Sokka couldn’t help it, he laughed. 

“Not funny!” Zuko said back, a whisper yell that betrayed his annoyance. His smile though seemed to convey a different emotion. The prince sighed. “What are you doing in here?” 

“I was looking for you of course.” Sokka paused, scanning him up and down. “What are you doing in here?”

Zuko wrap his arms around him and Sokkas wonders for the first time if the fire nation makes clothes that can withstand the cold of the south pole. “There are a lot of people in there.” 

“They want to congratulate you.” 

“They don’t even know me though, they just know that I am fire nation, and now they know that I am the fire nation prince. Most of them hate me, I can feel it.”

Sokka doesn’t try and tell him otherwise, its true. “Come dance?” he offers his hand out in front of him, as if it will help persuade the other teen more. 

Zuko, for his part stares at the door as if it might bite him. “Fine, dance in here, with me?” He seems much more inclined to agree to those terms and conditions. He wonders if this is what the next week will be, trying to figure out the terms and conditions of their marriage, where they will live, who will get what, how they will get married. He shakes his head. No, he will not focus on this right now. Right now he will focus on the drum beat outside, and his people dancing and the feeling of the moon outside. 

“I can’t dance.” 

“You danced great last time,” Sokka chuckles and pulls the other too his chest.

“You said I was a rubbish dancer,” its accusing in the way it deserves to be and okay maybe he had but right now he had the beautiful teen up against his chest and really? He does not mind. 

“Just dance with me jerkbender,” that gets a smile out of the other teen and then they are dancing. They are moving in time, side by side. They rub up against each other at some points, at others Sokka is twisting Zuko in a spin just so he can hear the others laugh. 

At one-point Sokka has Zuko’s back to his chest and thanks to their matched heights is able to slot his crotch nicely against the others lovely ass. He barely notices of course, this is a celebration dance after all, and celebration comes in all forms. 

He does notice when the other body stills in his arms and he realises he probably should have been paying more attention to other parts of his anatomy while they danced. 

“Zuko,” he says quietly, whispered into the others ear. Okay, he should stop. He really really should stop. But then he has his arms wrapped around the prince’s shoulders and he is kissing the jerkbenders neck. And yep the other can certainly tell that he is interested. 

The prince pulls away quickly then, his entire face bright red. Or at least the half he can see is bright red. Without think he reaches up and starts to unclasp the leather hiding the princes face. As his hands meet the clasp the one golden eye goes wide and another hand falls over his. “What are you-?”

“I want to see you, all of you,” the hand doesn’t move from where it is covering his but it also doesn’t stop him from removing the half mask. When the mask is finally free Sokka has to take a deep breath to stabilise himself. He had said it before, the scar is not beautiful, but… but seeing all of Zuko, seeing him open and free with the scar does things to the water tribe teen. He thinks that maybe the scar when combined with Zuko is one of the most beautiful things he has ever seen. 

He runs his fingers alone the sensitive skin and feels Zuko flinch away slightly. He goes to retract his hand, but the face comes back, seeking the touch. “You are so beautiful,” its whispered, quiet enough that maybe the other teen won’t catch it. He does though and his face is suddenly even redder.

“I-, you-,” he never finishes the sentence, maybe he doesn’t know how, maybe he never would have. Sokka decides that he wants to dance again, he wants to dance to the beat in the other room with this teen in his arms and celebrate the union between their cultures. 

He collects the teen and starts swinging in circles with Zuko in his arms. Then he twists him out, still holding him, before bringing him back in and doing fast movements with his feet. Stomping movements that he can feel those in the big hall doing by the shaking of the floor. 

Zuko is still slightly tense but with every action his movements become more relaxed, more free. Somehow they end up how they did before, back to chest and arms wrapped around shoulders. Sokka knows that his lower self is active again but he does not want to pull away from the other teen. The movements become less rushed now and he starts talking to Zuko, asking him questions he didn’t even know they had. 

“You don’t dance in the fire nation?” 

A quick shake of the head and a sharp intake of breath. 

“How do you celebrate then? Your victories and your losses?” 

He shakes his head again. He shifts, as if trying to turn around but there is some possessive part of Sokka that does not want that, so he tightens his arms and instead feels that wonderfully plump ass rub against his very active crotch. “We celebrate though talks, through plays and poems. My great grandfather outlawed dancing long ago. You dance a lot here?” 

Sokka chuckles and he can’t help it when his hips buckle forward as he leans down and whispers in the others ear. “We dance for everything,” he feels the prince shiver and it makes him chuckled deeply, “We dance to welcome and we dance to celebrate. We dance to remember, and we dance to forget.” 

Zuko makes a questioning noise, asking. It’s a beautiful noise and it makes Sokka want to pin him down and make him ask for more things. He won’t though but he really wants to. Oh, spirits if he would do it right now. 

Instead he pushes his crotch forward again, his member thick and heavy through the formal garb. He wonders if Zuko can feel it and he knows by the sharp intake of breath that he can. He decides to keep whispering in the others ear, loves the way it makes him shiver in his arms. “When we say hello and welcome, we keep it light, we keep a distance to others. When we dance, we become united and one when we dance but when we welcome, we keep a line in place. The first night when we danced, I wanted to hold you like this, to feel you even though I did not know who you were. But when we welcome, we keep a line in place, it is a different form of dance.” 

He chuckled again here and pulled the other even tighter, kissing the side of his neck. “But when we celebrate there is no line, celebration is freedom and comes in many forms. So I am aloud to do this, if I so please.” He pulled the princes head up then exposing his neck and shoulder to the world before biting just so where the neck meets the shoulder. Not enough to really hurt him but enough for him to know he is there. 

“When you get lost in the dance it is like something else takes you over, something else makes you do what you are doing. The spirits control the music and the dance and it is the most amazing feeling to just be free,” he bit again then, on the shoulder where it would be easily hidden. At the same time, he pushed himself closer, made sure the other could feel him heavy and ready. 

Zuko pulled away, his eyes wide in some kind of fear and maybe, excitement? It pulls at something in Sokka, like Zuko is his prey, like this is some marvellous game. He lets out a deep growl in the back of his throat as he approaches the other, his knees bent so his body is lower. His prey looks so beautiful when he is like this. 

It takes barely a second for him to have Zuko pushed up against the wall and his mouth on the others throat again. He licks it, a big long strip that has Zuko weak in the knees and Sokka having to hold him up. 

“You are so beautiful,” he whispers, again. He wishes he could tell Zuko again and again and again how beautiful he is. But he can’t, not while his mouth his on the beautiful neck marking it as his own. 

“Sokka,” the word is said with so much want and need and what said teen pushes his body fully against the other he can feel just how excited he is to be this close, just how ready. 

He kisses the other teen full force, much deeper than they have done but doesn’t care. He realises that they probably should not be doing this but he also has this amazing teen in his arms who is so willing and pliant.

Said teen whines, a soft noise from the back of his throat and he pushes his hips forward. The kissing is all tongue now and somehow Sokka’s hand has found its way inside the layers and layers of fire nation formal wear. He pulls back from the kiss and the part of Sokka that is still conscious, the part that isn’t trapped in the call of the music tries to come forward, tries to ask if he can touch. 

“Can I?” he breaths heavy as his hand lays on Zuko’s stomach, slowly moving down to rest over the curl of hairs there. “Zuko,” he growls again and gold eyes flash to his.

“Yes,” it is such a heavy word that it makes him pause for a second, “Please,” and that does it. His hand no longer lingers on the bunch of curls instead he wraps strong fingers around the very hard cock. It makes his own throb and he wants to ask the other to touch him, wants to command the other to get on his knees and suck him. 

He knows that that is also the music and tries to deny himself that demand. Instead he uses his other hand to pull out his thick member just enough, so it is visible in the moon light. “Zuko,” he mutters, “oh fuck, Zuko.” 

Zuko stops before one hand slips between then and wraps around the hand on Sokka’s cock. The water tribe boy growls using his now free hand to come up and pin the other to the wall again, his mouth continuing what he had been doing before and ravishing the boy’s mouth. 

No more talking, there mouths were much better at other things after all. 

They are both very close already but Sokka feels the music as well, feels the pull as the music is about to climax. Outside he can feel his tribe members, can feel the call of the moon and the ocean. 

Just as he come’s he lets out a mighty call, the call of celebration, of award and he feels his hand that had been wrapped around Zuko’s member get covered in liquid too. 

They stay there like that for a moment, Sokka’s mouth returning to kissing although lighter now, not as rushed or as needed. “you are so beautiful,” they say it together and both go bright red. Of course considering what they had just done they should not be embarrassed by such a compliment. But they are. 

And then, Sokka with his body still held over Zukos protectively, trapping him at the wall, the door they had entered through crashes open and Sokka is for once grateful for how much fabric the formal wear has. The answer is enough of course to shield them from prying eyes. 

It doesn’t stop them from both knowing what just happened, that they had just been walked in on. Zuko, face straight and still hidden, tucks Sokka away and does up his pants, neatening them slightly. He pulls Sokka’s hand away from his quickly flattening penis and gets him to wipe the liquid on the inside of the pants. 

Sokka has a brief moment to question how he is so good at this before he remember that his father and Bato and the bloody firelord are standing at the door staring at them. 

Its Bato that breaks the silence first, the traitor laughs at them, because of course he does. Sokka will be remembering this next time he catches his father and step father somewhere they really, really should not be. 

“Son,” his father says and by spirits that is not a fun voice at all. 

But he does gather the courage to response which is something at least. He doesn’t turn to him, no he keeps his face well hidden. “Yeah dad?” Maybe his voice is a little too cheery. 

The man sighs, “We would all like a word.”

=======//////=========

The all pile into a second antechamber, this one more furnished with some cushions and a small table for tea to be brought. The two teenagers stay side by side despite the best efforts of the adults present to separate them. They had also tried to get Bato to leave but the man had been adamant that, that was not happening. He was staying until he got enough material to tease Sokka for the rest of his life. 

The traitor. 

No one would meet anyone else’s eyes, least of all Zuko and Sokka. Now the music had gone and they realised what exactly had happened it seemed harder and harder to speak. 

Bato, the ever confident one, chose to break the silence. “I am sure that everyone will be happy to congratulate the pair of you on having your union accepted by Tai and La.” 

“What?” Zuko screeched, eyes going wide. Sokka realised at that moment that Zuko’s face was still uncovered and he might be just a bit self-conscious about that. Not really thinking he pulled off the ceremonial hood that he was still wearing and passed it along to the prince.

Said prince turned to look at him, a confused look on his face. “For you scar?” 

And then he went bright red and hid his face, quickly putting the hood on to cover it. He looked scared for just a second and then he looked thankful and it made Sokka so happy to know that he caused that look. That was him, he did that. 

Hakoda coughed and all attention turned back to him. He seemed to chose to ignore the interaction as he started speaking. “Dancing is very important to our cultural and our lives. It is a way we connect and become unified as a tribe. It also heightens emotions and our connection with the spirits.” He seemed to pause here and suddenly it dawned on Sokka what his dad was talking about. He glanced at Zuko and found that oh fuck he hadn’t realised what the chief was saying yet. Damn, he had messed up big time. After a few moments of silence, the chief continued although it looked like it pained him to do so. “The water tribe people become connected and we can feel each other’s… emotions through the dance. That is one of the reasons it is so important. That and it is our way of asking for blessings from the spirit world.” 

“What do you mean?” 

The chief sighed and motioned for his partner to continue. Bato seemed like he might laugh again but thought at the last second that okay, maybe that was not the best way to approach this. “the emotions you were feeling during the dance were heighted by the spirits and as they were heighted by the spirits and Sokka here was acting as a connection to the rest of the tribe, and you were connected to Sokka,”he paused here and let out a small laugh before he collected himself again. “Since you two were connected, everyone could feel what you were doing.” 

And then Zuko went even redder. Everyone in the tribe had known what they had been doing. Everyone. 

“It is very natural as part of the Water tribe, expected really. Those that were not dancing and were not connected would not have been able to tell or feel it. And it’s really a very positive thing, it means you have gained the spirits blessing and that your marriage will be fruitful.”

That was good at least, “So the people of the fire nation would not know?” 

The chief sighed and turned to the young prince, “Not exactly, although any that were able to be connected would not know what they had experienced or felt.” 

Zuko took a deep, steading breath. Sokka was worried for a second, he hadn’t even thought about the connection when it had been happening, he had just been swept up in the dance, in the moment, in the spirits blessing. He hoped it did not scare the prince. 

He quickly looked at the firelord, and noticed that while he did not look happy, he did not look surprised. “I have a deep connection with the spirit world and as such was aware of what was happening.” 

Okay did he really have to say that! 

“Sokka should have been aware of what was happening but we have not had such dances or blessings in many, many years, the last time would have been when he was just a babe so please do not fault him for this.” Thanks dad, just drag him through the mud why don’t you, “however this does make it very clear how important your cultural education is. The next step while we discuss the marriage contract.” 

Zuko nodded and suddenly he seemed so calm and collected and… how did he do that? Sokka was still freaking out and it was his cultural that meant everyone knew they had just gotten each other off in the antechamber in the middle of a party. 

“If you will have her, Sokka’s sister, Katara, will begin giving you lessons starting tomorrow in the evenings, teaching you everything you need to know about our cultural and heritage. She will also be teaching Aang at the same time.” 

Zuko just nodded again. How?

“Wonderful, well then,” and wow dad do you really need to look like its that horrible, sokka said to himself. “We should head back then.” Yeah Sokka was not going to go back. 

“Wait,” unbidden Sokka reached out his hand and laid it on the knee of the other teen at the sound of his voice. “I have a question, if you will?” 

While he did look uncomfortable the other many sat back down fully and tried to smile. “Of course?”

“Why did everyone howl?” 

“Ahhh, well, it is a part of tradition and another gift from the spirits if you will? Our people were once said to descend from wolves. When we battle we wear the war paint of the wolves and often we decorate ourselves with their pelts. Whenever we dance, whenever we feel any high amount of emotion, we… well we howl.” It sounded weird having it said out loud. It had never really been explained to Sokka, it had just been how it was. At funerals the group howl kept them unified just as the dancing did. It was apart of them. 

“Okay,” his dad shifted, “now we should head back and boys?” the pair turned to him, “Please just stay in the main hall.” 

=========//////////==========

The main hall was mostly empty by that point, only a few people lingering to help clean up or to dance just for a bit longer. Zuko and Sokka walked in side by side and Sokka hoped that he could steal the prince away for just a few minutes to talk. 

Whenever anyone from the water tribe saw them however, they would quickly run up, bow at the waist, and sing their praises for the blessings of Tai and La. Every time the pair went bright red but after the fourth time Sokka grabbed Zuko’s hand and held him tight. He wanted to be close to the other right now. 

It was after the tenth person that he dragged Zuko away to a back corner that seemed empty of people. 

“Hey, I wanted to talk to you about what happened,” Zuko seemed stiff as Sokka talked, but he did not let go. “I am sorry if I pushed you, and I am sorry that… well that everyone knows.” 

Zuko relaxes then, he doesn’t quite slouch and Sokka doesn’t think he has ever seen him slouch but he isn’t quite so tense. “It is okay, the power of your music is strong.” 

The water tribe teen chuckles, he isn’t wrong. “I did enjoy it though, thank you, for allowing me to see that part of you.” The prince went bright red and Sokka really did think that look suited him. He wanted to push the hood away to show of scar, to see him stand proud in all his beauty but he also knew the other was not comfortable with that yet. What he did do was slide a hand up along side his face and gently caress the others cheek. 

“Thank you,” the words were whisper and he could not help it when he pushed forward and pressed his lips gently to the others. With every conversation this seemed to be an even better union, a happier moment. 

“I… I care for you deeply Zuko, you are a such a beautiful person, so thank you.” Zuko shook his head as if to deny it but did not say anything else, “I am excited for you to learn about us, about my cultural and… I want to kiss you now, whenever you will let me.”

He was surprised when it was Zuko who pushed forward then, lips meeting gently once more. “Thank you.” 

========//////////////==============

He came across Zuko the next morning and, while he did not mean to, the pair found themselves holding each other, hungry mouths seeking hungry mouths when they really should have been training. They did not know when they would be alone again though. After these few minutes there master would be coming, and there was peace meeting, and then Zuko would go for his lessons with Katara and then they would have dinner. And then they would sleep to start it over and over again. So every morning they would meet before training and hold each other and just share words here and there. Sokka didn’t know why but he could not help but tell Zuko every morning how beautiful he was, how amazing he smelled and hot it was to watch him wield his blades. They didn’t do what they did the night of the party but they did hold each other and just be there. 

However as the days went on it seemed like Zuko was become distant, was pulling away. On the sixth day he did not come to Sokka but Sokka had to come to him. It wasn’t fare, he wanted to hold the other and talk to the other but… something was wrong. He was going to ask but then their master came and they had to train. 

While Zuko had been training for years Sokka had been training for barely a week now, he was nowhere near the level of the other, at least in terms of sword technique. Yet on this morning they were pitted against each other, the two were to spar and see how they would fair. 

Sokka was excited at the idea, bounding up to Zuko with a large smile on his face. He could not wait, even if it meant he got his but kicked, he didn’t mind. But Zuko did not respond to him, did not say anything really. It hurt Sokka that he was so unresponsive, that he was distant. He thought they had gotten somewhere, he thought that Zuko felt the same for him that he felt for the prince.

When they started to spar, and they had sparred before if only twice, he expected Zuko to have that kind smile on his face, to move with the ease of a dance, to laugh with every attack. He didn’t.   
Instead each move was sharp and process and somewhat brutal. More then that he seemed distracted, like he did not know what to do with his mind.

And then Sokka knocked him down into the snow. He landed with a thump noise, the ground harder then it looked. 

Sokka quickly came to him then, bending down and offering a hand with a gentle smile. But the hand was pushed away. And so Sokk stormed away too. He did not want to deal with this anymore, this silence, this numbness. It wasn’t like he was angry, Sokka could deal with anger from the other teen, because that meant he knew what the prince as angry at. But he didn’t, he just didn’t. Instead he went to his house and hid in his room.

Some might call it silly but the other teen was the angry one so he could be the one to mend whatever had happened. He did not go to the meeting to discuss the wedding, he did not go to discuss the food, or where it would happen, or where they would live after. Not right now. Instead he lay down on his bed and fell asleep.

Hours later he woke to a soft hand on his hair. It felt nice and he couldn’t help it when he pushed up into it. 

“Good morning,” okay so he was not expecting it to be Zuko patting his hair so nicely. He did not respond; he was still angry at the prince. “You are angry at me.” 

“You are angry at me,” he said back, trying to glare without lifting his face from the comfy lap. Eh, he was sure the other got the intention. 

“I am,” he said, such a simple admission, like it meant nothing. 

“Why?!” Sokka growled, throwing himself up, “What happened?! Why are you angry at me? What did I do?” 

Zuko shook his head, “you didn’t do anything.” 

“Then why?” 

“because you didn’t do anything. You have not done anything.” He took a deep breath, his hands clenching as they had a tendency to do. “I have been learning about your cultural and your heritage and you and you have made no attempt to learn about me or my family or culture and that hurts.” 

It seemed to pain him to say and suddenly Sokka remembered how this teen almost never asks for anything, never speaks his mind for fear of punishment, never talks back or asks or even questions. 

He remembers how gentle this other teen is, how he holds himself with grace and might and will accept anything given to him even if it is pain.

“Then teach, me please.” Because he hates the look on the others face, the look of pain and sadness. The look of acceptance of Sokka forgetting about him, like it is deserved and expected. He hates it how he hates how Zuko still doesn’t eat much at the dinners. He hates it how he hates that whenever he tries to hold Zuko’s hand he looks confused, as though no one would ever want to hold his hand. 

Sokka traces an hand down the side of Zuko’s exposed face, although when he had taken of the leather he had been wearing that morning Sokka didn’t know, “please Zuko, teach me.” 

=========////////===========

It isn’t easy after that, but it is easier. They can’t straight away go back to how they were, maybe how they were wasn’t great. But the next morning when Sokka comes upon Zuko as he is meditating instead of interrupting he sits down about a metre away from where he is moving and waits. 

Every other morning he had immediately gone in for a hug upon seeing the other, he didn’t do this today, no today he waited. 

After about 10 minutes Zuko turned to look at him, no longer moving through the actions he had been before. He does not come and try and hug the other but there is a small smile on his face. 

“Why do you do that?” Maybe it is too quick a question, maybe it is to much all of a sudden. Zuko looks confused for all of five seconds before he burst out laughing. 

“Firebenders rise with the sun,” he says and the way he smiles makes Sokka’s heart stop. “Agni gifted us this power and every morning we connect with him through our meditation. We ask for his blessings for the day and we hope he will continue to give us power.” 

And then they just talk. Sokka never realised how much he didn’t know, how different the worlds they had come from are. He smiled and at some point, grabbed Zuko’s hand with a happy smile.

Half way through Sokka grabs at the others face and convinces him to remove his mask, tells him how it makes me happier to see him without it, “because it means your comfortable! And I want you to be comfortable with yourself around me!”

He manages to convince him to keep it off for all of the training that morning too. 

At lunch that day as they went into the meeting Sokka subtly handed his fiancé a small lunchbox of left overs and took pleasure in the little smile he was gifted. The small kiss on the cheek was helpful as well. 

======////////================

Everything was fine until it suddenly wasn’t. 

Zuko wasn’t there. At the eastern cliff side. He wasn’t there. 

The lack of the teen immediately set warning bells ringing in his head as he ran to the spot that the other fire benders were moving as one. It was quite beautiful really, the sight of 50 odd people moving as one body in the morning light. 

It distracts him for a second, pulls his attention from the real issue at hand, the lack of teenage boy by his side. When he remembers what’s happening, who is missing he lets his eyes scrutinise every single person there. Maybe Zuko decided to stay with the others today, maybe that’s it. Although the part of him saying that is also saying, unhelpfully, how Zuko never does that, has no reason to do that, has more reason to stay secluded so they can be together for a bit. 

He can’t see Zuko, not that surprises him. He does jump when a heavy hand falls on his shoulder and he turns around to see a smiling Iroh. The man stops smiling when he sees Sokka’s face. 

“Sokka?” he says, “What is wrong my boy?”

“Zuko,” it seems that is enough to get everything going. Suddenly there is a role call happening. There are 5 of the fire nation members missing, have been since morning. They did not report to breakfast and no one has seen them since. 

People are sent running around the village for any sign of the prince while Sokka stays to ask about the five missing men. 

“They weren’t happy to come here,” one says.

“They really don’t like the prince or Iroh,” another says. 

“They were asking about the shipment that is due to leave at lunch.” 

He doesn’t know when it happens but he is running then, his heart beating out of his chest because he knows, he knows that these men have Zuko. They captured his sweet little Zuko and they are going to pay. 

Another part of him screams that he is a prince and he can defend himself, that he will be alright and really Sokka, but all he can picture is the golden eyed boy who had to carry home after he had a panic attack. 

Iroh is right behind him. 

They quickly run through the ship and Sokka doesn’t have time to worry that maybe they shouldn’t do that. Maybe they should offer some explanation because it kind of looks like they are attacking? And wow imagine if they just ruin the entire peace treaty like that. Then he wouldn’t have to marry Zuko any more and he would get to choose right? 

But he’d probably still choose Zuko. If Zuko is still alive. 

“Simo really did not like the prince, called him a traitor and said he deserved what he got. That he would finish the job if he could.” 

The words of the other firebenders rocket around in his head and make him want to scream. No, not happening. He doesn’t know why but he refuses to lose this other teen, the ones whose smiles make his heart melt and whose laughter makes him want to cry. 

He wants to spend more mornings in the snow with him, more days exploring and talking about fire nation culture and trying to explain small little things that make perfect sense to him but Zuko has never really heard of. He wants to tell Zuko that yes, he thinks he can love him, that he thinks he already does. He will kill who ever has done this. 

They are pointed in the direction of one of the rooms downstairs, down in the cells that are no longer cells by the torture chambers that are no longer torture chambers. 

Sokka doesn’t know what to expect but it isn’t a beaten up Zuko standing over five unconscious men. The teen whose mask is missing has blood dripping from his left eye and a cut lip and seems to be limping but… the other five are out cold and aside from a few scrapes his prince seems fine. 

Without thinking he runs to the prince and cuddles him in his arms. 

“Sokka?” the teen asks. 

“Prince Zuko are you alright sir?” Its one of the guards that had followed them down here. Right. Because this wasn’t his prince and by Tui and La when had he started calling the prince his in his head. 

“Yes, I am perfectly fine,” he says and he sounds fine. “Sokka what are you doing here?” 

“What are you doing here?” Okay maybe that wasn’t the best question in response but… he was worried. 

“It’s okay Sokka, I took care of it.” There is a pause and the body Sokka is hugging shifts slightly, uncomfortably, “A little too well I think.” 

The water tribe teen pulls pack and actually looks over the room. These five fire benders were well trained, master in their own rights. Zuko had beaten all of them almost easily. His Zuko who had panic attacks about losing his mask had ripped them all to shreds and didn’t even look worried.   
“Sokka?” 

“I’m… I’m, okay.” Is he though? He looks around again and then it dawns on him, “I just realised how cool my future husband is!” he has never actually said it out loud before, said that Zuko is his future husband. They have kissed and cuddled and given each other hand jobs in the snow but he’s never said it. Another thought comes to his mind then and he’s about to say it but Zuko pulls away. 

“Sokka, I wanted to give you something this morning.” He looks at the prince, his prince, because he his Sokka’s prince he doesn’t care what anyone else, damn that all to hell. The teen is smiling shyly after knocking out 5 master firebenders and pulling out something soft looking from his pocket. “Close your eyes?” He looks so endearing that Sokka doesn’t think twice.

He would have before, before he got to know the other teen, he wouldn’t have dared close his eyes on a fire nation ship with the prince of the fire nation before him. But he is glad he does now. He is glad because he feels something gentle press against his neck and when he opens his eyes he realises that what it was was a betrothal necklace. 

He pulls it up to view it in the light and sees a beautifully carved wave colliding with a steamy fire. It’s not perfect, the edges are uneven and very clearly the carver was new to this. Most people wanting to propose just talked to someone they knew who could carve well, they would ditch the old tradition in favour of beauty and time. Sokka didn’t think he could ever have a more beautiful one. 

“I wanted to stick to your traditions. I’m sorry its not perfect but I hope it is acceptable none the less.” 

“Zuko?” The teen looks up, his good eye wide. “Shut up,” he looks crushed for all of a second before Sokka has him in a bone crushing hug, joined at the lips like never before as the 5 bodies are carted out around him. He is okay with this. 

When he pulls back he smiles at the other and says in the softest words possible. “I love you, by Tui and La I love you.” 

Zuko goes still for a second before nodding and leaning forward. “By Agni, I love you.” 

=========/////////==============

They get married under the second full moon from that day although they consummate their marriage long before then. In fact they consummate the day Toph leaves so she can no longer basically see them having sex. Katara is well aware of the fact she should leave them alone at this point as they eyes at each other from across the table. She basically runs away. 

And so a week after professing there love they connect physically for the first time.

It is the day after they get married that Sokka leaves the south pole for the first time. He is scared of going to his new home, scared that he wont like it, that he will be too homesick, but the firelord promises him that he can come home whenever he likes. He secretly thinks he will be fine as long as he has Zuko. 

Zuko takes over as firelord on the eve of his 20th birthday, and a year and half later they welcome twins into the world. 

Sokka is happy he thinks, he is happy now as he travels with his pregnant husband and set of bender twins back to his tribe. A water bender and a fire bender for twins made quite the pair. 

But he was happy. He couldn’t have had it better if he tried.

**Author's Note:**

> hey so congrats on finishing it. I really hoped you liked it and would love if you could leave some feedback. I have thought about doing another one which is just from Zuko's point of view but not sure but yeah. okay thanks


End file.
